Tips on passing a drug test

For some college students, successfully passing a drug test may sound even more daunting than passing a class exam, especially in the wake of a stoner’s beloved holiday — 4/20. Let’s face it, April 20 is only celebrated once a year and one drug test probably won’t deter any marijuana lover from getting belligerently high over the course of 24 hours. If you’re nervous about passing a drug test but still want to take part in some THC action, follow these tips to help flush out the drug and still secure that job.

1. Detox your body

Although water is often thought to be the cure to every issue in the book, drinking bottles of Poland Spring every day probably won’t save you in this situation. Drinking unnecessary and excessive amounts of water a few days before the test is not only a waste of time, but also can be extremely harmful to your body. Instead, drink the recommended daily amount of water, two to three liters, during the day of your test. Your urine should then be clear instead of bright yellow or dark-colored, which means it is diluted. To be extra safe, stick to a healthy and balanced diet weeks before the test to naturally detox your body. It’s also helpful to mention that passing a urinalysis test doesn’t mean you have to be 100 percent THC-free — you just need to be below the threshold for the test, which is usually 50 ng/mL.

2. Avoid exercise the day before a test

This may sound odd since exercising naturally rids the body of toxins, but working out within 24 hours of a test can spike THC levels in your bloodstream at a faster rate. This doesn’t mean you should stop exercising overall, but you should probably avoid going hard at the gym right before drug test day.

3. Be careful of how much and how often you consume

When consuming anything with THC, it’s best to take into account how much you consume and how often you consume it. If you’re a heavy user, you’re more likely to fail a drug test than someone who only takes one hit or enjoys smoking every month or so. To be safe, go two to three weeks without marijuana, or even one month for extra precaution. When deciding how much to ingest or smoke, be aware of your body fat levels, as THC is stored within fat cells and may linger in the body longer.

4. Go green

Sorry, stoners, but this doesn’t mean consuming more weed. Weeks before a drug test, make sure you’re consuming a lot of green vegetables like broccoli and kale, as they’re good sources of vitamins and naturally help rid the body of THC. If you’re not a big fan of eating vegetables, try a green juice to clean out your system. To save money, juice your own vegetables rather than buying expensive detox drinks.

5. Do your research

Before getting high out of your mind on 4/20, make sure you do your research on marijuana to decrease the chance of failing a drug test. According to Medical News Today, first-time smokers who smoke a single marijuana joint have a detection window of about three days. For those who smoke marijuana three or four times a week, the detection window increases to five to seven days. And for true potheads, smoking every day has a detection window of at least 30 days. Urine tests typically can detect THC approximately three to 30 days after use, so plan accordingly when getting high.