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How Long Does THC Stay in Your System?
The short version: it depends heavily on how often you use THC, not on whether it's labeled delta-8 or delta-9. Here's what actually drives the timeline, and what the different test types can and can't tell you.
Last verified: September 2026
Quick Answer
THC, whether it started as delta-8 or delta-9, is commonly detectable in urine for roughly 3 days after a single use and up to 30 days or more with frequent, regular use. Blood and saliva windows are much shorter, typically a day or two for occasional use. Hair testing can reach back up to about 90 days. These are commonly cited ranges, not guarantees — individual results vary considerably.
This page is general education, not medical or employment advice. If you are subject to drug testing for work, a legal matter, or any other reason, the only way to guarantee a negative result is not to use THC products at all — hemp-derived and federally legal does not mean drug-test-safe.
What actually determines how long THC stays detectable
The number that matters most isn’t the type of THC, it’s how often you use it. THC is fat-soluble, so it accumulates in fatty tissue and releases back into the bloodstream gradually over time. That means a few factors do most of the work in setting your personal timeline:
- Frequency of use. This is the single biggest factor. Someone who uses THC once will clear it far faster than someone who uses it daily, because regular use builds up a larger reserve in fat tissue that takes longer to fully release and clear.
- Dose. A higher milligram amount per use adds more to that reserve than a lower one, all else equal.
- Body fat percentage and metabolism. Since THC stores in fat, individual body composition and metabolic rate both affect how quickly it clears.
- Hydration and activity level. These can shift the concentration in a given urine sample somewhat, though they don’t change the underlying amount of THC your body needs to clear.
Because these factors compound differently for every person, published detection windows are ranges, not fixed numbers — two people using the exact same product the same way can clear it on noticeably different timelines.
Delta-8 vs. delta-9: does it change anything?
Not in any way that matters for detection. Delta-8-THC and delta-9-THC are both metabolized by the liver along the same pathway — first into 11-hydroxy-THC, then into 11-nor-9-carboxy-THC (commonly shortened to THC-COOH). That metabolite, not the starting form of THC, is what standard immunoassay urine tests are built to detect. A test doesn’t know whether the THC-COOH it’s screening for started as delta-8 or delta-9, so the two follow essentially the same detection timeline. If a product got you high, treat it as THC for drug-testing purposes, full stop — the label on the can doesn’t change how your body processes it.
Try San Buzi
Hemp-derived THC lemonade made in Atlanta — 10mg THC + 5mg CBG, zero alcohol, zero calories.
Detection windows by test type
Rough, commonly cited ranges for occasional vs. frequent use. Individual results vary.
| Test type | Occasional use | Frequent, regular use |
|---|---|---|
| Urine | Roughly 3 days | 30 days or more |
| Blood / plasma | Around 1–2 days | Up to about a week |
| Saliva | Around 1–2 days | Up to about a week |
| Hair | Up to ~90 days | Up to ~90 days |
Does CBG show up on a THC test?
No. CBG (cannabigerol) — the second cannabinoid in every can of San Buzi — is non-psychoactive and metabolized differently from THC. It isn’t the compound standard drug panels are designed to detect, and it doesn’t change how long the THC in the same can stays in your system. The two cannabinoids are dosed together but cleared separately.
What this means if you might be tested
If you have any upcoming drug test — for work, a legal situation, or anything else — the safest assumption is that any THC product, hemp-derived and legal to buy or not, can be detected on a standard panel. “Federally legal” and “won’t show up on a test” are two different things, and confusing them is one of the most common mistakes people make with hemp beverages. If passing a test matters, the only reliable choice is not to use THC products during the relevant window.
Frequently asked questions
Does delta-8 stay in your system longer than delta-9?
No meaningful difference. Both are metabolized by the liver into 11-hydroxy-THC and then into THC-COOH, the same acid metabolite standard urine immunoassay tests screen for. A test built to detect THC doesn't distinguish which form you started with, so delta-8 and delta-9 follow essentially the same detection timeline.
Will a hemp-derived THC drink show up on a drug test?
Yes, it can. "Hemp-derived" and "federally legal" describe how the product is regulated, not whether it's detectable. A standard THC drug test screens for the THC metabolite itself, and it doesn't know or care whether the THC came from a hemp beverage, a marijuana product, or anything else.
Does CBG show up on a THC drug test?
No. CBG (cannabigerol) is a separate, non-psychoactive cannabinoid with its own distinct metabolites -- it isn't the analyte standard THC panels are built to detect. It doesn't affect how long the THC in the same can stays detectable, either.
How much THC is in a can of San Buzi?
10mg of hemp-derived Delta-9 THC plus 5mg of CBG per can, independently lab tested every batch. See our Certificates of Analysis for the actual results on the batch you'd be drinking.
Curious what’s actually in the can and how it’s dosed? See What Are THC Drinks? or go straight to our lab results.