Let’s answer this question directly before we look into this topic in detail. THC vape stays in your system in significant amounts for no more than 6-8 hours. However, THC may remain in the system in traces for much longer. Further, there are also significant individual differences depending on age, liver function, THC dosage, and more (1,2).
Although THC vapes are legal and they are widely used, it is regretful to see that most clinical studies focus on weed or marijuana. Many studies use high dosages of THC, which is present in medications only. Naturally, high-dose THC would remain in the system for much longer. The body needs much more time to get rid of a higher amount of THC.
However, vaping is altogether different. It provides a tiny amount of THC, which is enough to experience some of its health effects, but it cannot cause a high. A whole THC vape pen or container has just about 1 mg of THC in it. It means during a single session of THC vaping, just a few micrograms would enter the body. Such a tiny amount would be removed from the system pretty quickly.
Moreover, vaping and ingestion are very different. In vaping, THC enters the body quite readily. However, it is also removed from the system quickly.
Studies using high-dose THC show that very little of THC is left in the system after 6-8 hours. So, it would be safe to say that if one uses THC vape, there would be negligible THC left after 6-8 hours.
In fact, vapes have so little THC that it is undetectable by commonly used drug tests, urine tests, or blood tests. Checking its levels in the system after THC vaping requires using specific and highly sensitive tests.
There is one more thing to know. People generally vape daily and multiple times a day. It means that some tiny amounts of THC may still accumulate in the body. Hence, THC may remain in the system in traces for a few days. However, here we are talking about traces and nothing more than that.
Experts agree that even traces of THC are not left in the body after a few days.
Since THC is mainly metabolized by the liver, its metabolites are removed by the kidneys. It means that THC remains for less time in the system of young adults with healthy liver and kidneys. On the contrary, it may remain in the system for longer in older adults or those with chronic ailments.
The Bottom Line
THC has a long half-life. However, legal vapes in the UK have only tiny amounts of THC. The human body can very efficiently clear THC in small amounts. It means that not much THC is left in the system after a few hours, and most is metabolized within 6-8 hours. After that, only traces of THC remain in the body.
However, on consistent THC use, this period may increase a bit. However, not significantly. Generally, after a few days, your body will be clean of even traces of THC. So, enjoy THC vaping, as it is safe, and THC vaping does not stay in the system for long to pose any health threat.
References
- Mørland J, Bretteville-Jensen AL, Bramness JG. On the duration of cannabis effects and the presence of THC in the body. Addiction. 2023;118(2):390–1.
- Millar SA, Stone NL, Yates AS, O’Sullivan SE. A Systematic Review on the Pharmacokinetics of Cannabidiol in Humans. Front Pharmacol. 2018 Nov 26;9:1365.
