There can be a wide range of how long a drug is detected in the body. This range can be affected by several factors, such as amount and frequency of drug use, drug purity, drug tolerance, metabolic rate, body mass, age, overall health, pH, etc.
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Approximate Drug Detection Times
| Drug | Abbreviation | Cut Off Level for Urine | Approx. Detection Time in Urine | Cut Off Level for Saliva | Approx. Detection Time in Saliva |
| Amphetamine | AMP | 1000 ng/ml | 2-4 Days | 25,50 ng/ml | 10 min-72 hours |
| Amphetamine | AMP500 | 500 ng/ml | 2-4 Days | ||
| Barbiturates | BAR | 200 ng/ml | 4-7 Days | 50 ng/ml | 3-5 days |
| Benzodiazepines | BZD | 300 ng/ml | 3-7 Days | 20,50 ng/ml | 10 min-48 hours |
| Benzodiazepines | BZD200 | 200 ng/ml | 3-7 Days | ||
| Buprenorphine/Norbuprenorphine | BUP | 10 ng/ml | 3-6 Days | 10 ng/ml | |
| Cocaine | COC | 300 ng/ml | 2-4 Days | 20 ng/ml | 10 min-24 hours |
| Cocaine | COC150 | 150 ng/ml | 2-4 Days | ||
| Ecstasy (MDMA) | XTC | 500 ng/ml | 1-3 Days | 25 ng/ml | 1-3 days |
| Marijuana | THC | 50 ng/ml | 15-30 Days | 12 ng/ml | Up to 14 hours |
| Methadone | MTD | 300 ng/ml | 3-5 Days | 20 ng/ml | |
| Methamphetamine | MET | 1000 ng/ml | 3-5 Days | 25,50 ng/ml | 1-3 days |
| Methamphetamine | MET500 | 500 ng/ml | 3-5 Days | ||
| Opiates/Morphine | OPI or MOR | 2000 ng/ml | 2-4 Days | 30,40 ng/ml | 1 hour – 3 days |
| Opiates/Morphine | OPI300 or MOR300 | 300 ng/ml | 2-4 Days | ||
| Oxycodone | OXY | 100 ng/ml | 2-4 Days | 30 ng/ml | 2-5 days |
| Phencyclidine | PCP | 25 ng/ml | 7-14 Days | 10 ng/ml | 1-3 days |
| Tricyclic Antidepressants | TCA | 1000 ng/ml | 7-10 Days | 1-2 day |
Amount and Frequency of Use:
Small, single, isolated doses are generally detected at the lower end of the range with chronic and long-term use typically being detected at the higher end.
Drug Purity:
Fillers and “cots” can affect the metabolism of all drugs.
Drug Tolerance:
Individuals that establish a tolerance for the drug usually metabolize it faster.
Metabolic Rate:
Individuals with a slower metabolism are prone to longer drug detection periods.
Body Mass:
In general, human metabolism slows with increased body mass, resulting in longer drug detection periods. Also as THC and PCP are known to accumulate in fatty lipid tissue, individuals with a high percentage of body fat in relation to total body mass are subject to longer drug detection periods for those drugs.
Age:
As one’s metabolism usually slows with age a longer drug detection period could be a result. Overall Health: Typically one’s metabolism slows during periods of deteriorating health thus resulting in longer drug detection periods.
Urine pH:
Urine pH can impact drug detection periods. Typically, highly acidic urine results in shorter drug detection periods.
ALFA is proud to offer a number of quality drug tests that are made in the USA and are available for professional, CLIA-waived, forensic, research and development or OTC use. The following table shows the cutoff time for drug detection in urine and saliva samples.
Note:
Amphetamine Drug Detection Time
Amphetamine is a drug that stimulates the central nervous system and makes users feel very awake and alert. It gives a user a lot of energy and can make him or her feel very happy. In some users, amphetamine can make a person violent, angry and paranoid. Amphetamine stays in the urine for around 2 to 4 days, though it can be found for up to a week in long-term and chronic users.
Barbiturates Drug Detection Time
The detection period for barbiturates depends on which drug is being used. There are short-acting barbiturates, which are only detectable for a few days, and long-acting barbiturates that may be detected for up to a couple weeks.
Benzodiazepines Drug Detection Time
Benzodiazepines are a class of medications that are commonly prescribed for a number of reasons, including to prevent seizures and alleviate anxiety, and are sometimes used illegally. There are several different drugs in this class of medications; Xanax, Valium, Klonopin and Ativan are the most well-known. Each drug has a slightly different amount of time it will stay in the system before being eliminated.
Buprenorphine/Norbuprenorphine Drug Detection Time
Buprenorphine is a medication that is used to treat narcotic addiction but still has the potential for abuse. Norbuprenorphine is a metabolite of buprenorphine, meaning that it is produced as the body processes it. It will be present in the urine for up to a week, potentially longer in chronic users.
Cocaine Drug Detection Time
Cocaine is produced from the leaves of the coca plant and is available in the white powder of cocaine, or in the form of “crack,” which is usually smoked. When used, it produces an intense high and gives users a quick to burst of energy. It tends to be metabolized quickly to benzoylecgonine.
Ecstasy Drug Detection Time
Ecstasy, or MDMA can also sometimes trigger positive results on urine drug tests for amphetamines and methamphetamines. In addition, street forms for MDMA can contain additives of amphetamines, which will also trigger positive results. MDMA is found in the urine for up to 1-3 days after being used.
Marijuana Drug Detection Time
Marijuana is produced from the leaves and flowering buds of the cannabis plant. When smoked or eaten, a substance known as delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) produces a psychoactive experience. It is difficult to metabolize THC, so it will be present in the urine for up to 30 days. This compound is stored in the fatty tissues, so chronic users will take longer to remove THC from the body than the occasional user.
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Opiates/Oxycodone Drug Detection Time
Opiates are a large class of medications that have morphine-like properties and are primarily used to treat pain. It includes drugs of abuse, such as heroin, and prescribed medications, such as morphine, hydrocodone, oxycodone, and hydromorphine. Most opiates are absorbed and excreted rapidly, staying in the urine for only a couple of days. Positive results for opiates require careful interpretation, as it is not always possible to determine whether codeine, morphine or heroin were used. In addition, eating poppy seeds (from which opiates are derived) in large amounts can cause a positive result.
Phencyclidine Drug Detection Time
Phencyclidine is also known as PCP and was historically used an anesthetic or tranquilizer. A similar drug, ketamine, is still used in veterinary medicine. It can stick around in the urine for up to several weeks, especially in long-term or chronic users.
Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCA) Drug Detection Time
Tricyclic antidepressants are used to treat depression. People using these drugs run a high risk for interaction with other medications. Some people do use these drugs inappropriately, but in many cases, getting a TCA level can help the doctor guide dosing.Contact Us
