Do you consume Marijuana, weed, or Cannabis? Or all of them? This is a rhetorical question. They all are the same. If your answer was yes, then scroll down and read what scientists, researchers, and doctors have been saying about the things you are taking. They make you feel euphoric and maybe even help you to forget your emotions and thoughts for a while.
Lab Data for Marijuana/Cannabis/Weed:
According to US law, Marijuana is extracted from seeds, flowers, and leaves of a plant called Cannabis sativa. The plant produces three chemicals which behave as drugs: Cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabinol (CBN).
THC concentrations are usually analyzed in the labs. High levels of THC are preferred while levels of CBN and CBD should be less. To put in simple words, THC is the thing you are usually looking for. That is why some cannabis samples are expensive, while others are not. It depends on the levels of THC.
The time of the effect of Marijuana depends on the mode of its consumption. When someone takes Marijuana by smoking, it reaches the blood quickly. While through oral ingestion, it takes about 1-1.5 hours for the effects to show. Then the liver digests the THC component and converts it into two parts. These parts go out of the body through urine and get detected in the lab reports.
Benefits of Cannabis
Marijuana is currently being used as a medicine for seizures, pain, cancer, Crohn’s disease, and glaucoma. The consumption of Marijuana gives a sense of euphoria and relaxation. It also causes short term memory loss, stimulation, increased heartbeat, increased appetite, dry mouth, bloodshot eyes, and unstable control of motor organs.
Retention Time of Cannabis
- Infrequent smoking of Marijuana (around 2-3 times per week) can show positive results for 1-3 days.
- Regular smoking shows positive tests ranging from seven to twenty-one days.
- Daily smoking can show positive results for around thirty days.
- Oral ingestion requires 3-4 times the amount of Marijuana and gives positive results for one to five days.
How is weed detected in a living body?
Out of all the metabolites, THC is detected in lab results. Analysis of urine is the most common technique used for the detection of Cannabis compounds. A urine test detects the presence of THCs, even in trace amounts. For the current intoxication test, tests are done by taking samples of blood and saliva. Hair tests are also done, but they are not reliable. An individual might need to take weed for about three months to show positive results.
What is in your Cannabis?
If you are purchasing Cannabis legally, then it has gone through medical testing by a state-credited lab. The tests ensure the potency of the drug and whether it is safe to consume or not. The plant, Cannabis, quickly absorbs any traces of heavy metals, pesticides, microbial contaminants, levels of THC, and contaminants around it. To put it in simple language, it behaves like a sponge.
The tests for passing Cannabis in lab
There is a variety of tests that Cannabis has to go through before it is passed for selling.
- Analytical Chromatography – Cannabis goes through gas, liquid, and high-performance liquid chromatography in order to maintain its potency or to tone it down. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is preferred as it does not decarboxylate the stimulants.
- Mass Spectroscopy – It measures the mass of molecules, and a graph of mass-to-ratio is given by the instrument.
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy – The first technique mentioned above is quite expensive. So, this technique is generally preferred by lab staff. With the help of magnetic radiations, the molecule structure is detected, which helps to determine the number of psychoactive components present in it.
Armed with this knowledge, you can be confident about consuming Marijuana without any worries!