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Understanding the THC COOH Test

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If you’ve applied for a job, visited an emergency room, or competed in a regulated sporting event recently, then you’ve probably taken a THC COOH test. This common form of drug screening is fast, simple, and advertised as giving the organization requesting the test assurance that you don’t use cannabis. The truth is that rather than assessing your usage pattern, these tests instead base their results on the speed and efficiency of your THC COOH elimination. Understanding how your body eliminates this metabolite can be key to avoiding positive results that don’t give an accurate picture of your cannabis usage.

The Basis Of The THC COOH Test

Standard screenings do not actually check for THC in your urine. Instead, they are meant to determine the concentration of THC COOH. More properly known as 11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (you can see why we use an abbreviation), this metabolite is the result of THC being broken down and used by your body. Once it’s created, it is stored in your body’s fat cells before being released slowly over time to be filtered out by your kidneys, then eliminated in your urine.

Because THC is metabolized quickly by the body, it can be gone in a matter of hours from your system. THC COOH elimination, however, can take months or more than a year in the case of heavy daily cannabis users. Its release is influenced by the history and amount of THC consumed, whether or not you continue to use cannabis, your body’s natural elimination processes, and your metabolism as it relates to the creation, storage, and burning of fat. This makes the THC COOH test not a screening to determine if you are high or were high recently, but rather if you have a pattern of cannabis usage stretching back for months. For most tests, a THC COOH concentration of 50 nanograms per deciliter is the maximum “clean” amount.

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Masking Won’t Beat The Test

In order to hide their usage, some cannabis users will choose to try to trick this test by using masking agents. These often fail. When your test is collected, it will be checked for color, temperature, pH level, and popular additives designed to cause a false negative. If any of these factors are outside of a normal range, the test is flagged for increased scrutiny. Then, the collected sample is subjected to a lab analysis that either detects the higher than allowed levels of THC COOH or an attempt to fool the THC COOH test, which is usually grounds for immediate failure.

Instead of attempting to mask THC COOH, you can support your body’s natural THC COOH elimination process. Our pharmacist-designed formula works to boost your metabolism’s efficiency for a faster, more complete detoxification process. Since it’s not masking the THC COOH but helping your body eliminate it naturally, there are no false positives or markers to cause increased scrutiny.

Simply use our THC Detox calculator to determine the right detox kit for your usage pattern. Made with natural ingredients, our safe, effective supplement is easy to use and provides fast results. We also include THC COOH test strips in every kit so you can check your progress and know confidently when you’re ready to pass. Make sure you’re ready for your next screening. Detox with Green Gone today.



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