How Much THC-P in Your System Could Cause a Failed Drug Test Result to Occur?

Did you know that Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabiphorol (THC-P) is the most intoxicating cannabinoid in hemp, known for its high that’s 10x as strong as delta 9 THC? At the same time, THC-P happens to be totally legal, and this is obviously good news for anyone seeking out a deeply powerful psychoactive effect from cannabis.

Still, one thing that you may not have considered is the fact that just because something is legal doesn’t automatically imply that you can pass a drug test if you use it. THC-P is not weed, of course, but how does it impact a drug test result? Good question, we know and luckily for you, there are answers to it here.

Does Taking THC-P Mean You’re Going to Fail a Drug Test?

Short answer, yes. Primarily, all forms of THC, including delta 8 THC, delta 10 THC, THCV, THC-H, and yes, THC-P, are broken down in the body by turning into THC-COOH, a metabolite form of THC. This is in view of the fat that the cannabinoids are structurally similar enough to one another for them to be metabolized through the same channels in the body.

The thing with standard drug tests, like those administered for employment or probation purposes, is that they’re looking for THC-COOH in the urine – not actual cannabis. So, basically, no matter which cannabinoid you took, you’re going to end up testing positive. Now, sure, tetrahydrocannabiphorol is legal and hemp-derived, but it’s doubtful that, say, an employer would make accommodations. Besides that, it can’t be proven that you took THC-P, and not marijuana.

What Kinds of Drug Tests Could Detect THC-P?

There are actually several types of drug tests out there, although 90% of the drug tests administered here in the U.S. are urine-based tests. With that said, let’s take a quick look at each type of test, and what it’s actually looking for.

Urine Tests: THC-COOH is the THC metabolite that can be detected in a person’s urine. Typically, after consuming THC-P, 75% of it is metabolized within 24 hours. The remaining 25%, however, can take 2 days to leave the body, or up to 6 weeks, depending on how much of the cannabinoid was actually consumed. Urine tests are so popular as they’re cheap, have a very fast turnaround time, and aren’t that invasive to administer.

Blood Tests: Will show if you’re high on cannabis at that present time, because once the cannabinoid leaves the bloodstream, you’re no longer high. That’s why blood tests are usually used at hospitals, to see if a person’s symptoms are related to a substance that they’re on.

Saliva Tests: Most commonly used by law enforcement officers, but some employers do use them as well. They’re not looking for THC-COOH, but for THC, and can detect THC usage for up to 10 hours. While it hasn’t been proven, there’s a good chance that THC-P would trigger a positive for THC.

Sweat Tests: These are super uncommon outside of clinical testing. Essentially, they require that a person attaches a patch to their skin which remains there for 2 weeks, picking up compounds released through a person’s sweat.

Hair Strand Tests: Designed to read up to 3 months of substance usage, and they’re usually administered for autopsy purposes, and for more criminal-based circumstances. They can be inconclusive if a person has recently dyed or cut their hair, and they have a long turnaround time while being very costly.

What Amount of THC-COOH Needs to Be in Your System for You to Fail a Test?

Urine tests can pick up as little as 50 nanograms of THC-COOH per milliliter, but the thing is that we don’t know how much THC-P a person would have to take for that amount to be present in their urine. There are just too many variables that affect the rate at which a person metabolizes THC-P, and besides that, we don’t know if THC-P produces more THC-COOH than delta 9 THC, as ultimately, it’s a different and more potent compound.

What Can Make or Break Your Test Result When it Comes to Taking THC-P

Based on what we just said above, there are certain factors that will heavily influence the rate at which THC-COOH leaves your body. So, if you have taken THC-P recently and you have a drug test coming up, you might still be in the clear.

How Much You Took: THC-COOH is going to clear at the same rate no matter how much is in there. So, if you’re someone who was taking high doses or high milligram strengths of THC-P products, there’s going to be a traffic jam effect as the body has a lot of that metabolite to clear from the system. That’s why it can take up to 6 weeks before you’re totally safe from a positive result.

How Often You Took it: Frequency matters too, for the same reason as above. If you were a daily user, you’re a lot more at risk of failing your test than if you took THC-P a few times, for the reason that, again, the more you take, the more of a backup of THC-COOH there is in the system.

Other Substances in Your Body: Other substances, including other cannabis products, can also play a role. If you’re taking THC-P along with other THC compounds on a regular basis, there will be more THC-COOH in the system due to the metabolite accumulating between all of the cannabinoids you’re taking. On top of that, certain medications can slow down the metabolization of THC-P, like prescription drugs that have the “grapefruit rule,” since both cannabis and these medications are metabolized by an enzyme called CYP3A4.

Your Metabolism: Everyone’s metabolism is different, and the bottom line is that some people just naturally break down THC-COOH faster than others, on the account of complex variables like immune function, nutritional intake, weight, hormonal balance, thyroid function, and more.

Is There a Way to Clear THC-P Out of the Body Faster?

We know that the internet is filled with methods for passing an upcoming drug test even if you took cannabis recently. These methods include drinking cranberry juice, chugging water, and taking detox products, all of which are supposed to aid in the metabolization of THC-COOH through the urine. The thing is that none of these methods has ever been proven to actually work, so we do not recommend relying on any of them if you’re going to be tested in the near future.

Bottom Line: There is Some Risk of Getting a Failed Drug Test Result Due to the Amount of THC-P in Your System

Unfortunately, if you take any THC compound, whether legal or not, you’re at a good risk of failing a drug test. What this means is that if you know you’re going to be tested soon, you should just abstain from cannabis products other than nonintoxicating cannabinoids like CBD and CBG. Otherwise, you could end up losing your job or livelihood. Once you know you’re in the clear, and won’t be tested again for at least 2 months, you can go ahead and enjoy your THC-P product that you purchased at The Calm Leaf on your terms.

Aug 27, 2023 David Nadel

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