Hello.
I smoked marijuana for the first time last night -- only two hits. I also had half a dropper of the liquid form. I am going to be required to take a drug test in the future. The earliest date I would have to take it would be 97 days from now, so, right at three months. My hair is very soft and blond (I heard that coarse hair has a better chance of passing?). Anyway, I am SO nervous & freaked out about this. Will the minimal amount that I consumed be enough for me to fail a hair follicle test? Thank you in advance to all of those who respond. :)

Everything is in your favor. 1) The time interval. Hair Drug Tests (HDT) use approximately 1 1/2" inches of hair beginning with that closest to the scalp. Hair grows 1/2" (approx. ave) per month. So they are checking the past 90 days. 2) Hair color and texture. Those with darker and more course hair are more, not less, likely to test positive. The lighter and finer your hair, the less the likelhihood of THC (metabolite) infusing. 3) Frequency and amount of use. Infrequent cannabis use is not likely to show up on an HDT even discounting factors 1 & 2. The foregoing applies to smoked cannabis.

Items 1 would apply to any substance regardless of how consumed, including any liquid extract. However, I would need to know a little more about the "liquid form" and how ingested. Was it added to a drink, added to the cannabis and then smoked, etc and what was it exactly... what color was it?

Oral consumption follows a different metabolic route.

The likelihood of a positive HDT is extremely remote. But don't take great comfort in that fact. Because each subsequent use enhances the possibility of detection. THC (the psychoactive metabolite) continues to confound researchers, in relation to where it goes and what it does in the body. How long it can be detected following even moderate use, is nothing more than guesswork. Verrrrry unpredictable.

DrBill100--
Thank you, so much. The liquid form was clear. It tasted like sugar, basically, with a hint of smoke? It was not added to anything, it was dropped into my mouth & was almost oily tasting. It was almost out so I only had a small small amount. As for subsequent use, I'm not going to--probably ever. This was a one time deal. My hair grows extremely slow so this answer made me a little bit uneasy. When the times comes I was considering using the shampoos I've found out about on the net although I hear those are a scam? I also forgot to mention something -- the two "hits" I took were not from a pipe or anything. My boyfriend actually blew it into my mouth (lol) because I didn't want to actually take it from the pipe and some of the smoke would escape each time.. Could this also lessen my chances? I'm FREAKING out beyond belief!

Once again, based on the information provided, the chance for a positive HDT result is almost nil from the smoked cannabis. Various fluid solutions, extracts, tinctures exist. Most are homemade, contain alcohol and are dark.

The fact it was placed in your mouth tells me that you swallowed it (its also possible to put under tongue which provides yet another metabolic route). Swallowed it is like any other orally consumed cannabis and should pose no additional problem (if that's what it was).

Your system has obviously not accumulated THC from previous use. I have never heard of a one-time user failing a HDT even within a week. For reasons which are not understood light to even moderate users are seldom detected (a fact much decried by the testing field). Plus you have all of the other factors mentioned above in your favor.

I can't be sure that the liquid was a cannabis extract. Did you feel strange or high about an hour later?

I felt strange, but, not any different than being a little buzzed from a drink or two and it wore off in an hour or less. And it was cannabis because the person who had it knew who made it. I can ask about the composition.

As long as you're sure it was cannabis extract we're OK. If you run across it I'd like to know personal curiosity. You are still a single-use subject and the foregoing applies.

One final word however. Obviously, you associate with people who do smoke and are in the presence of sidestream smoke. Be certain to wash your hair thoroughly before the test. Environmental contaminants are a big problem for hair testing. Microscopic amounts of smoke and powders cling to the hair shaft and wind up as a trace amount on a false-positive hair test. This is related to the sensitivity of the instruments used > lack of standardized cutoff > hair cleansing techniques used in the laboratory.

Despite the assurances that issue from testing laboratories, the external chemical washing procedures and products are seldom more than 85% effective. Pair that with the fact that HDT can detect particles and report in the range of one-trillionth of a gram. Incidental exposure becomes a looming problem.

I just re read what you said, I DID in fact put it under my tongue... but then I swallowed it. So since I put it under my lounge does that change anything?

*tounge

I just re read what you said, I DID in fact put it under my tongue... but then I swallowed it. So since I put it under my lounge does that change anything?

Not really. It's a different route for absorption. What you swallowed was simply slower acting.