Sunday, September 27, 2009

How Long Do Drugs Stay In Your System?

By Allan Tan

How long do drugs stay in your system? This is a question that many people may want an answer to, especially before facing a drug test for an employer. How long drug stay in your system depends on the type of drugs and certain personal characteristics.

The person's age, weight, and health affect how long drugs stay in your system. The person's stress level and how much or how often the drug was taken affects how long it is detectable by drug testing.

LSD and psilocybin, commonly known as mushrooms or shrooms, stays in the system and is detectable by urine tests for approximately eight hours. Many drugs, including methamphetamine, nicotine, GHB, Ecstasy, amphetamines, oxycodone, codeine, heroin, morphine, and opiates, stay in the system for up to two days.

Hash and marijuana are detectable by urine tests for up to five weeks after use. Benzodiazepines, like Xanax and Valium, can take up to six weeks to completely leave the person's system.

Alcohol usually stays in the system for six to ten hours. PCP, also known as angel dust, can be in the system for up to eight days. Breathalyzer testing is commonly used by law enforcement to detect alcohol on a person's breath.

A percentage of alcohol that is consumed is expelled in the breath. A breathalyzer test detects alcohol in the breath. Although many myths claim ways that breathalyzer tests can be fooled, only one has a true affect on breathalyzer test results. Mouthwash containing alcohol has been rumored to affect breathalyzer tests. Unfortunately for those who try this, mouthwash can increase, not decrease, the measure of alcohol on the person's breath.

Hair testing is another type of drug test. Most hair tests can indicate which drugs have been consumed in the last ninety days.

Blood tests are another type of drug testing, but they are not often used since they are more expensive. False positives can occur due to some prescription medications.

Prescription medication stays in the system for varying amounts of time depending on the specific medication, dosage, and the individual's metabolism. The half-life of a prescription drug is used to describe how long it takes for a drug to reach half of the potency of the dosage consumed.

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