About a month ago I was exposed to 2nd hand weed smoke. When I realized what was going on I moved away from what was going on. I had to take a hair drug screen at work on 8/9/12. I am really worried about my exposure as my job has a zero tolerance for drug use. I myself have NOT smoked weed in three yrs... I'm just really scared that the 2nd hand will now cause me to have a positive result. Please help even if it is only to calm my nerves.

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Originally Posted by mohrjj

About a month ago I was exposed to 2nd hand weed smoke. When I realized what was going on I moved away from what was going on. I had to take a hair drug screen at work on 8/9/12. I am really worried about my exposure as my job has a zero tolerance for drug use. I myself have NOT smoked weed in three yrs....I'm just really scared that the 2nd hand will now cause me to have a positive result. Please help even if it is only to calm my nerves.

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Based on your description of brief exposure to second-hand smoke the possibility of a detectable amount being incorporated into hair is near impossible.

That is not to say that second-hand smoke does not get into your hair. It does. But the exposure requires a sufficient amount to be absorbed via sweat or sebaceous glands (situated in scalp) and second that the amount absorbed would exceed the cutoff of the test performed.

So the brevity of your experience is the key and provided that is the only exposure then you will be fine.

Reiterating, it certainly is possible to test positive for THC-COOH* after exposure to second-hand smoke so avoid repeated or prolonged contact with that environment.

*the only metabolite that is used in confirmatory tests.

Ref: Nakahara, 1999