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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Can I Pass A Hair Follicle Test While Using Weed?

I stopped smoking weed a month ago and was only a once a week smoker sometimes 2 but rarely. I even would skip a.week without smoking. I m 35 years old 5 8 and 180 llbs. my hair is pretty long and past my shoulders almost to middle of my back. I.was wondering if I will pass a hair follicle test
Tue, 30 Dec 2014
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Psychiatrist 's  Response
HI
Thanks for using healthcare magic

YES THC metabolites can show up on hair drug tests. If you use infrequently in the past 3 months (meaning less than 4 times or so) you might have a chance. Hair tests are not good at picking up low dose or infrequent use.

They only test 3 months back.

They only can test for drugs in the sample you give them. Metabolites don't grow into new hair that didn't exist at the time you did drugs.

Don't confuse the 1.5 inch head hair standards with not being able to test hair below that level.

Its true many drug test companies will not test head hair below 1.5 inches, opting instead to take it from body hair if permitted. (Some employers have it in their contracts to take from head hair only, regardless of how short it is, and not to take body hair.) Now if they only have say a half inch of head hair, then they can only go back about 2 to 6 weeks.

Head hair grows at a half inch per month, plus or minus a few tenths of an inch.

You want to avoid giving body hair if possible because body hair can grow at a slower rate and they get more false/positives.

Thanks
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Can I Pass A Hair Follicle Test While Using Weed?

HI Thanks for using healthcare magic YES THC metabolites can show up on hair drug tests. If you use infrequently in the past 3 months (meaning less than 4 times or so) you might have a chance. Hair tests are not good at picking up low dose or infrequent use. They only test 3 months back. They only can test for drugs in the sample you give them. Metabolites don t grow into new hair that didn t exist at the time you did drugs. Don t confuse the 1.5 inch head hair standards with not being able to test hair below that level. Its true many drug test companies will not test head hair below 1.5 inches, opting instead to take it from body hair if permitted. (Some employers have it in their contracts to take from head hair only, regardless of how short it is, and not to take body hair.) Now if they only have say a half inch of head hair, then they can only go back about 2 to 6 weeks. Head hair grows at a half inch per month, plus or minus a few tenths of an inch. You want to avoid giving body hair if possible because body hair can grow at a slower rate and they get more false/positives. Thanks