ok, first post here, but I wanted to share information on my own experience with trying to get a new job, and being tested for weed among other illicit drugs.
When I first learned that I would be tested, I knew I had to at least abstain. Not an easy thing for me to do, with almost 40 years of smoking/eating.
The test was seven days after I quit. I did all the tricks: the detox potions, the water loading, the creatine, the calcium carbonate to adjust specific gravity, the vitamin b2 for color, aspirin for acidity. I thought I was going to be ok the day of the test. Seven days after the test I get the phone call from the testing lab that I was positive for THC. That's it, no numbers, no explanation, just positive for THC, and they were going to relate this info to the employer.
A few days later, the employer calls to say I don't get the job. I tried to ask for a retest, but they wouldn't hear of it.
Knowing that other employers would also likely test, I decided to stay clean and continue to abstain. I decided to test myself with FirstCheck home drug tests. I've had no other job prospects, and it ain't easy staying clean, but I've been good.
Like many people, I was under the impression that I would be clean after about 30 days. The first sample sent in to FirstCheck was at 35 days clean. The home test was positive, and I got depressed, but I sent it into their lab to get numbers. The results came back at 22ng/ml, which would be a fail under any lab test for employment.
Another test at home was taken at 45 days clean. This one looked negative, but I sent it in anyway, again just to get the numbers. I just got the results today, and it is still positive for THC at 15ng/ml.
Now, I know that's the cut off point, and it sucks, but if that were for another job, I would still be out of luck. but still...... the point is after 45 days of not smoking and doing the exercise thing and watching fat intake, I am still positive.
Another week or so and I'll do another test, that one should be clean, but that will be over 60 days of not smoking.
I know things like metabolism and body weight have a lot to do with how long it takes to get THC out of your system, so here's my stats:
53 years old, medium metabolism, 6 foot 2, 200 pounds. Don't work out regularly, but have been lately to burn off some fat. Been a heavy weed smoker, at least three or four joints every day, for over 40 years.
Bottom Line:
If you smoke a lot and are faced with a drug test, you could be looking at over two months of abstinence just to get clean.
Granted, maybe the detox potions and other tricks would have worked after 20-30 days of being clean, but they are crap for heavy users. Don't believe the "money back guarantee", didn't work for me, since they wanted copies of the lab results, which I could not get for myself from the original employment test lab, never mind a third party.
Anyway, thanks for letting me vent.
When I first learned that I would be tested, I knew I had to at least abstain. Not an easy thing for me to do, with almost 40 years of smoking/eating.
The test was seven days after I quit. I did all the tricks: the detox potions, the water loading, the creatine, the calcium carbonate to adjust specific gravity, the vitamin b2 for color, aspirin for acidity. I thought I was going to be ok the day of the test. Seven days after the test I get the phone call from the testing lab that I was positive for THC. That's it, no numbers, no explanation, just positive for THC, and they were going to relate this info to the employer.
A few days later, the employer calls to say I don't get the job. I tried to ask for a retest, but they wouldn't hear of it.
Knowing that other employers would also likely test, I decided to stay clean and continue to abstain. I decided to test myself with FirstCheck home drug tests. I've had no other job prospects, and it ain't easy staying clean, but I've been good.
Like many people, I was under the impression that I would be clean after about 30 days. The first sample sent in to FirstCheck was at 35 days clean. The home test was positive, and I got depressed, but I sent it into their lab to get numbers. The results came back at 22ng/ml, which would be a fail under any lab test for employment.
Another test at home was taken at 45 days clean. This one looked negative, but I sent it in anyway, again just to get the numbers. I just got the results today, and it is still positive for THC at 15ng/ml.
Now, I know that's the cut off point, and it sucks, but if that were for another job, I would still be out of luck. but still...... the point is after 45 days of not smoking and doing the exercise thing and watching fat intake, I am still positive.
Another week or so and I'll do another test, that one should be clean, but that will be over 60 days of not smoking.
I know things like metabolism and body weight have a lot to do with how long it takes to get THC out of your system, so here's my stats:
53 years old, medium metabolism, 6 foot 2, 200 pounds. Don't work out regularly, but have been lately to burn off some fat. Been a heavy weed smoker, at least three or four joints every day, for over 40 years.
Bottom Line:
If you smoke a lot and are faced with a drug test, you could be looking at over two months of abstinence just to get clean.
Granted, maybe the detox potions and other tricks would have worked after 20-30 days of being clean, but they are crap for heavy users. Don't believe the "money back guarantee", didn't work for me, since they wanted copies of the lab results, which I could not get for myself from the original employment test lab, never mind a third party.
Anyway, thanks for letting me vent.
