Do weed detox drinks work? They can, but it’s also fair to say that they sometimes don’t.
Detox drinks for cannabinoids have a variety of different mechanisms of action. Their results may also be affected by the amount of cannabinoids in your system, your metabolism, and more.
The issue isn’t that all weed detox drinks are ineffective. It’s more that there are many options on the market. Some of those options may not explain how they work or share the threshold at which they stop being effective.
Let’s take a closer look at cannabinoid and weed detox drinks. We’ll cover general information about these drinks first. Then, we’ll review other options for getting cannabinoids out of your system.
What Are Weed Detox Drinks?
Despite the many formulations and brands, the basic concept of detox drinks for weed is simple. Their goal is to help people who have cannabinoids in their systems achieve a negative drug test result.
In other words, they try to help people pass a drug test. In many cases, the mechanisms of action can be more like masking agents than an actual detoxification process.
These detox drinks have always found a market. However, widespread changes in the regulation of cannabinoids may have increased their popularity in recent years.
Since 2012, cannabis-derived Delta 9 THC has become legal on a state-level basis for recreational use in 23 states, US News & World Report explains. Even more states have medical cannabis programs.
Additionally, hemp-derived cannabinoids — which make up our own inventory — became legal on the federal level in 2018. While some states and towns restrict or prohibit their sale and use, they are legal in many areas.
This leads to situations where cannabinoids are legal for recreational use, but testing positive can cause issues outside of interactions with the law. For example, some businesses in states where cannabinoids are legal still require employee testing for these substances. They may dismiss workers who test positive, despite cannabinoids being legal.
The long-lasting nature of cannabinoids in the body for regular users is worth noting in this context. Cannabinoids can persist at a level detectable by drug tests for days to a month or more. Some people find themselves in situations where ceasing use weeks before a test may not be enough to pass.
THC detox drinks can be very attractive in these situations. Depending on the circumstances, they can provide the desired result, too. Detox weed drinks can and do help some people pass a urine drug test.
However, there are a number of limitations and drawbacks of these drinks to consider as well:
Potential Drawbacks of Weed Detox Drinks
THC Detox Drinks Aren’t Guaranteed to Work
Different drinks have different mechanisms of action to eliminate cannabinoids or otherwise change chemicals present in urine.
They may only be effective up to a certain point, or may not provide noticeable results for some users. It’s very difficult to tell ahead of time if a specific drink will work for you or not.
Detox Drinks Aren’t Always Forthcoming About Contents or How They Work
Weed detox drinks will make claims about their effectiveness, which are often not very specific. However, they don’t generally explain the chemical processes that lead to a positive drug test result. They also may not list their full contents or the quality of those ingredients.
Weed Detox Drinks May Have Undesirable Side Effects
An informal test of three weed detox drinks by Vice found that two drinks led to a negative test result. However, two of the three drinks had negative side effects.
One caused a noticeable, neon-yellow tinge to the tester’s urine. The second caused a day-long stomach ache. The potential for these issues wasn’t noted on the drinks’ packaging.
Alternative Options for Weed Detox
Leaving out options like weed detox drinks, your metabolism is the key factor in eliminating cannabinoids from your system. As is the case with many substances that you consume, your body will eventually process and excrete those cannabinoids.
Metabolization of cannabinoids is affected by several factors, including:
- Individual differences. Everyone’s body is different. Many factors influence your metabolic speed, but individual variations regardless of those factors also come into play.
- Age. As people age, their metabolism tends to slow down. This is an unavoidable process, unfortunately. However, it’s important to keep in mind.
- Body fat percentage. Cannabinoids are stored in fat. Having a higher body fat percentage may mean it takes longer to metabolize and eliminate cannabinoids.
So, what can you do to speed up your metabolism and more quickly eliminate cannabinoids?
Exercise may help speed up your metabolism. However, there is no definitive, scientifically valid proof behind this concept.
That’s not to say exercise as a path to faster elimination of cannabinoids has been disproven. There simply isn’t enough data to know for sure. It may help. Additionally, an exercise plan (discussed with and approved by your doctor) can support better overall health, too.
Staying hydrated may also help with borderline cases in passing a cannabinoid drug test. Drinking lots of water before a test likely won’t push a strong positive result into negative territory.
However, being dehydrated could cause the opposite to occur in a borderline situation, Medical News Today explains. That means staying hydrated is a good idea, even if it has limited effectiveness.
Ultimately, the best way to avoid a positive drug test result for cannabinoids is to take a break. As soon as you know a drug test is a possibility or is likely, press pause on using any cannabinoids.
Thinking ahead can also help in these situations. Starting to apply for new jobs? If you know some of these potential employers might drug test, don’t wait for an official notice. Taking a break when you know a test is a possibility gives you more time for your system to clear out.
Do you know there’s no way you’ll have to take a drug test anytime soon? Want to use some federally legal cannabinoids after your upcoming test is complete?
