Eli5 How far back do drug tests check?

Question

I don’t know how to phrase the title, I’m sorry.
ANYWAYS, do drug tests check if you’ve EVER done drugs, or or in a specific amount of time? Or does it depend on anything else?

In: 8

Answer 1

Depends on the drug and the testing method.

The presence of drugs *themselves* will only show up while they’re in your system, but most drug tests check for metabolites (byproducts of drug metabolization,) which can hang around for much longer, especially if your body stores them in fat cells. Of course, it’s also possible to test hair follicles, which can hold metabolites for some drugs for several months.