Drug testing has been a thing forever, whether to check the existence of illicit drugs, alcohol or any other restricted substance like performance enhancing drugs in a person’s system. These have been a way to screen potential employees before recruiting them, or while selecting athletes for championships.

While the tests still exist, one of the drugs previously categorized as an illicit drug has not been federally legalized. Well, kind of.

Yup, we’re talking about cannabis. Whether you buy it with a medical marijuana card NY or recreationally with your state ID, you’re no longer committing a punishable offense.

However, even with the legalization of hemp sourced cannabis, multiple companies still rely on drug screening for THC to accept or reject applicants.

While states like New York and Nevada have laws protecting the consumption and employment rights of the people, others states have no such provisions. The laws limit a company’s right to reject an applicant simply for THC traces in their drug tests. On the contrary, states like California have no laws to protect these rights of the citizens.

In states like CA, your cannabis consumption can cost you your dream job. And you obviously don’t want that.

So if you have a drug test coming up, now might be a good time to put a hold on your consumption.

Different Ways to Detect Marijuana During a Drug Test

With a variety of drug tests available, some could look for THC traces in your urine, another in the fluids found in your mouth or getting a sample of your hair. Depending on the type of test conducted, your test may or may not come out as positive.

Hair Drug Test: With the longest window, these can show traces of upto 90 days

Urine Test: If you’ve consumed THC in the last 30 days, it might show up in the urinalysis

Blood Tests: These can show traces of upto a few weeks (3)

Oral Tests: These are best to find traces of immediate consumption (in the last 24 hours)

Your best gamble is to hope for an oral test. Both these tests only show traces of recent consumption unlike other tests.

It is also important to remember that in these evaluations you are being tested for the presence of THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) and not any other cannabinoid. THC is responsible for the psychoactive effects, in other words, the high that comes with cannabis consumption. If you’ve consumed a cannabis product with no THC in it, such as a broad spectrum or isolated CBD product, you’re safe.

As per the 2018 Farm Bill, all legally sold recreational hemp should have 0.3% THC or less, which may or may not show up on the drug test. Cannabis bought with a medical marijuana card NY can have much higher THC potency which is sure to show up on the test if you don’t take precautions.

How Long Can THC be Detected in the Mouth?

Let me explain how THC works.

As long as THC is in the mouth it is still in its original form. However, when THC reaches the liver, it gets broken down into metabolites (THC-COOH). This metabolite gets stored in fatty tissue across the whole body, being removed from the body especially slowly.

Most of these tests, therefore, look for the metabolite in the body which becomes easily detectable.

But not oral tests. These are meant to find THC traces in the saliva, leaving a rather shorter window of detection. So if you smoked some high THC last week, you should be able to get away with a mouth swab.

Unlike the metabolite that can be detected even a month after consumption, the THC traces in the mouth most often last between 24 hours (the usual) to 72 hours (with an advanced saliva test). This does not apply for chronic marijuana users.

The duration of detectability depends on,

The THC potency of the product– Higher the THC content, the longer it’ll take
How often you consume it– More often the consumption, longer it’ll take to leave the body
How much you’re consuming– With more quantities consumed, more will have to be released
How much fat you have– More fatty tissues mean more space for THC storage
If you’ve consumed other products– If you’ve got other toxins to release, it’ll take longer

What are Some Things You Can Do to Pass a Saliva Test?

Honestly, you’ll be lucky to get a saliva test as the traces only last for so long. At the same time you can use some basic tricks to reduce the probability of showing up to the test with traces of THC in your mouth.

Brush Your Teeth Multiple Times

Brushing your teeth a bunch of times can be a really neat trick to follow. Imagine you’re going to a dentist and get going. Not just your teeth but be sure to clean your tongue and any part that could have traces of THC. Pay special attention to your gums. Make good use of floss to ensure there are no food particles stuck between your gaps.

Follow it up with good amounts of fluids to ensure no traces of THC remain.

Over the Counter Mouthwash

It’s recommended that you follow up your brushing regime with some mouthwash. You’ll find a variety of over the counter mouthwashes or other special kits that you can find for this purpose.

Consume Fatty Food

Food high in fats is known to increase cannabis’ bioavailability in the body. In other words, when you consume fatty food, it speeds up the THC absorption. This means that if you’re surprised with a urinalysis, you’re doomed. But with a saliva test, you should be good to go.

Final Verdict

Consuming medical marijuana New York is guided by state laws which do not allow companies to reject applicants for traces of marijuana in their system. However, there are still some restrictions as to how much THC is acceptable in the system, especially for non-mmj users.

Also the presence of traces might not be enough to shun your application but it can lead to biases or judgement at the workplace. It is therefore advisable to limit your consumption leading up to the D(rug test) day.

A week’s time is enough to get rid of all THC traces from your mouth for a cotton swab test. While 24 hours might also be enough, you are recommended to stop all marijuana use the week leading up to your drug test. If you’re simply trying to take a tolerance break or are abstaining from cannabis, you’ve got plenty of time to get the hang of it.

Do Your Research Before Finding a Medical Marijuana Doctor

Before you go looking for a medical marijuana doctor, it’s best that you do some research about the important aspects related to the medical card in New York.

Every state abides by a set of marijuana laws as per the medical marijuana program they follow. The medical marijuana program of New York is known to be one of the strictest ones in the US. So learning about the medical marijuana rules and regulations of New York is an intelligent move and keeps you from being in any legal trouble. Along with deciding the limitations on cannabis use like possession limits and legal products, marijuana laws also decide the medical conditions and symptoms that qualify for a medical cannabis card. Here’s a list that will let you know if you are eligible for a medical card in New York or not.

Chronic Pain

Cancer

Crohn’s Disease

Cancer

Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy

HIV/AIDS

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

Multiple Sclerosis

Parkinson’s Disease

Ulcerative Colitis

Epilepsy

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Huntington’s Disease

PTSD

Opioid Use Disorder or any condition that requires the use of opioids.

Any form of spinal cord or nerve tissue damage.

Spasticity

If any condition is clinically associated with Cachexia, PTSD, chronic pain, severe nausea, persistent muscle spasm, and seizures.

If your medical condition falls on the list, you are legally eligible to apply for a medical cannabis card in New York.

In addition to this, remember to read through the marijuana laws because it is very strictly followed in the state. You are only allowed to use ‘non-smokable cannabis products like capsules, oils, sprays etc. Once you are familiar with all the laws, go on and get a medical card.

Prepare a List of Clinics And Medical Marijuana Doctors

The next step is to create a list of all the clinics and doctors near you. The closer the location of a doctor, the more convenient it is for you to get a medical card. But your job does not end here. You have to take the time to choose the ones that can be trusted.

First, go through the history of the doctor or clinic. If they have established a name as a medical marijuana professional, it’s more than likely that they are legit. Collect social proof. If possible, reach out to people who have got a medical card from the doctor. Their experience will give you a better idea about which doctor you should trust.

The next step is to verify their license. It is very important to get a medical card from a doctor who is board-certified. You can ask them for their license number and verify it with the official government website. This makes sure that the doctor is legit. Do not forget to compare the price points. Every clinic has different plans. Choose one that is affordable as well as trustworthy.

In case you are approaching an online clinic in New York, follow the same steps. Verify the license, look for testimonials, compare price plans and the history of the online clinic. Another important step here is to verify the address proof. The online clinic should have a physical location and the doctor’s address should also be verifiable. Otherwise, the state wouldn’t accept your medical card.

Get in Touch With The Medical Marijuana Doctor You Shortlisted

Once you have made a selection, it’s time for you to get in touch with the doctor. If you are using the traditional method of visiting a clinic, you will have to make an appointment. Call in and see if the doctor is available during the hours you can visit the clinic. In addition to this, get information about other important information like the price points of consultations, what other services they offer and if the doctor is available for help in case of any problems in the future. Once you are done fixing the time and date, prepare for your consultation.

In the case of online clinics, there isn’t any need for making appointments. Whenever you are ready for a consultation, fill the form and you’ll be connected with a doctor. You can also chat or call the customer care and clear any doubts that you may have prior to your consultation. Remember to check out their privacy policies and money-back guarantees if any. Go through the different services they provide, the price plans and blogs too. It will give a better idea of the clinic. And don’t worry about the consultation. It will be as easy as visiting a physical clinic. The doctor will connect to you on a video call and access your medical condition.

Ask Your Medical Marijuana Doctor Relevant Question

Now all that’s left to do is wait for your face to face consultation. Remember, just because you are in ongoing consultation with a medical professional does not oblige you to receive a medical card from them. If you are not satisfied with their treatment plan or the way they engage, you can always go for a second opinion. But, don’t be rude and wait for the consultation to end before you conclude anything.

When the doctor accesses you, be very open and honest. Answer all their questions clearly and don’t keep any medical detail from them that can affect the treatment plan. You can also ask them questions during the consultation just make sure that they are relevant. Ask them about their opinions about medical marijuana. Or the kind of strain or delivery method that will suit you best. Ask them about their expertise and if your condition can become better with cannabis. The answers will give a clear idea about the doctor’s skills and whether or not you should consider taking a second opinion.

If you wish to really experience the benefits of medical marijuana, you will have to invest some time and effort to find the right doctor for a medical marijuana recommendation or card. Follow each of the steps that I have mentioned and find a doctor that you can lay your trust in.

Tag: Medical Marijuana Doctor

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