Urine drug testing detection
Many factors affect the length of time that the urine drug test can detect a certain drug in the body.
What are the factors that affect drug detection in urine testing?
Common factors include:
- body mass
- hydration levels
- the acidity of the urine
- how long ago the person took the drug
Also, other factors include gender, age and even genetics. If a person uses a drug often or in large quantities, a urine test could detect the drug for a longer period. For example, the detection times for cannabis can depend on how often a person uses it:
Frequency of cannabis use | Detection times after use |
Single use | 3 day |
Moderate use or 4 times per week | 5 – 7 day |
Daily use | 10 – 15 days |
Heavy use | More than 30 days |
How long can different drugs stay in your system?
The table below shows how long drugs can stay in the system for. As mentioned above, there are lots of factors that can affect these figures, so they should be taken as a guide only.
Drug group | Detection time after use |
Alcohol | 7 – 12 hours |
Short-acting barbiturates | 24 hours |
Amphetamines | 48 hours |
Heroin | 48 hours |
Morphine | 48 – 72 hours |
Cocaine metabolites | 2 – 4 days |
Methadone | 3 days |
Short-acting benzodiazepines | 3 days |
PCP | 8 days |
Long-acting barbiturates | 3 weeks |
Long-acting benzodiazepines | 30 days |
Other options are also available for certain circumstances such as drug spiking incidents. Call and speak to one of our Clinical Advisors for details,
