How Long Can Cocaine Be Detected In Your System?
How long cocaine stays in your system depends on a variety of factors, but it is usually detectable between 2 and 90 days. Certain factors such as personal characteristics and how much of the drug was consumed will affect the detection time.
A cocaine drug test can detect the use of cocaine between 2 and 90 days.
The length of time can be increased by heavy use, and may differ depending on your personal characteristics such as age and weight.
Read on to learn about the specific drug test detection times for cocaine based on the type of drug screen.
How Long Does Cocaine Stay In Your System For A Drug Test?
How long cocaine shows up for on a drug test depends on a variety of factors, including what type of testing is being used.
Cocaine can be tested for in a variety of ways. These methods have different detection windows, or the period of time drug use can be determined.
Drug screening tests typically look for enzymes called metabolites, which are specific to each drug. The cocaine metabolites are called benzoylecgonine and cocaethylene.
These metabolites appear in the bodies of people who use any type of cocaine regardless of the method of ingestion (snorting, smoking, etc.).
Urine Tests For Cocaine
Cocaine use can be determined for 4 days after your last use via a urine sample. This type of test is often used for pre-employment screenings, court proceedings, and much more.
Blood Tests For Cocaine
A blood sample drug test can detect cocaine for 1-2 days after ingestion. You will most likely not encounter this form of drug testing unless you are in a medical emergency.
Saliva Tests For Cocaine
A saliva test can determine if cocaine is in your system for about 2 days. The use of oral fluid testing is on the rise, as it is cost-effective and results can be delivered in minutes.
Hair Tests For Cocaine
Hair follicle testing is fairly rare but gives the longest-term results. The hair test method can detect the use of cocaine within a timeframe of the last 90 days.
What Factors Can Affect How Long Cocaine Is Detectable In Your Body?
The half-life of cocaine, or how long it takes for half of the drug to leave your body, is about 6 hours. Using this substance results in a short-term high of euphoria and alertness.
With more frequent substance use, the effects of cocaine are harder to achieve. This is because as stimulants are built up in your system, your body will develop a certain tolerance.
Because of this, many people experiencing cocaine abuse will use it at higher and higher doses over time.
These factors can increase the amount of time that cocaine detection is possible, as it will take longer for this build-up of drugs to be excreted and for detoxing from cocaine to occur.
Other factors can include height, weight, gender, and if other substances were used simultaneously with the cocaine.
Cocaine Addiction Treatment At Spring Hill Recovery Center
It’s never too late to recover from drug addiction. Now may be the time to consider treatment options at Spring Hill Recovery Center.
At our treatment center, we offer cocaine addiction treatment services that can help you or a loved one find proper healthcare and support.
Call our helpline today to find out if our inpatient and outpatient substance abuse treatment programs are right for you.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — Polysubstance Use Facts https://www.cdc.gov/stopoverdose/polysubstance-use/index.html
- Mayo Clinic Laboratories — Cocaine and Metabolite Confirmation, Random, Urine https://www.mayocliniclabs.com/test-catalog/overview/9286#Clinical-and-Interpretive
- National Institute of Health | National Institute on Drug Abuse — Cocaine DrugFacts https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/cocaine
- National Institute of Health | National l\Library of Medicine — A review of the history, actions, and legitimate uses of cocaine https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2485453/
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) — Tips for Teens: The Truth About Cocaine https://store.samhsa.gov/product/Tips-for-Teens-The-Truth-About-Cocaine/PEP18-01