Other questions on recreational drugs

How long is cannabis detectable in urine?

Q . hello, i hope you can help me. i have been a daily user of cannabis for the past six months, but i have accepted a employment position with the police force, what i want to know is, if i stopped smoking cannabis today, how long will it take for it not to show up on a urine test? thankyou.

A. An interesting question, especially in the present climate of debate over the pros and cons of legalising cannabis. The substances produced from cannabis remain in the blood stream for a variable amount of time not least because they reside in the fatty tissue of the body and are gradually released. It can be detected for many weeks afterwards, albeit in tiny amounts. This is then reflected in urine levels although blood tests are more accurate.

You would need at least a month of abstinence to clear the system of detectable levels. Let's hope you don't find yourself in the invidious position of arresting an MS sufferer for using cannabis to alleviate the distressing symptoms which make their lives such a misery. Hypocrisy is not confined to the medical profession, although it is endemic at the moment.

How long does cannabis stay in the body?

Q . Hi, I'm just about to start a new job, which includes going for a medical......unfortunately, I have smoked cannabis in the last few days. How long does it take for the cannabis to leave my body (both for urine and blood)?

thank you

A. By the time you receive this email there will be no detectable traces of cannabis in your blood stream. Given the number of questions I am answering on this brilliant site, cannabis may even be legalised by the time you receive it.

There are very few, if any, pre-employment medicals I am aware of that check for cannabis. This is usually done when you take up the post and only happens in very specialised areas (eg pilots, professional athletes etc). It is always worth knowing what is going to be checked before they conduct the test. They cannot test, for instance, for HIV without your consent. In truth, they cannot test for anything really without your consent as otherwise it is a form of assault.

Best of luck with the interview which I presume is not in Amsterdam!