Dear Stoner: I have a drug test in a week and smoked weed ten days ago. I hadn’t smoked for a while  before that. Will I be good? Should I be worried?
Prickly

Dear Prickly: It depends on what method the drug test uses to detect THC. If it’s a common urinalysis (piss test), you should be fine. According to the National Drug Court Institute, new or infrequent smokers are generally clean after four days, but that can change based on metabolism and smoking frequency. Still, you should chug water, pee a lot and sweat more until your test, just to be safe. But all you master cheefers out there thinking it’ll only take you a week to pass your piss test for a new job should think again: Everyday users usually have THC in their system for at least two months, but it can stick around for up to four months.

Hair tests, which involve pulling a few hairs and testing them to see if any cannabinoids are present, are more difficult to manipulate, since you can’t pee that away. However, first-time or extremely infrequent users rarely have THC in their hair, and there are detoxification shampoos at head shops if you’re really desperate. Just make sure to follow the directions religiously, and use it on all patches of body hair.

Dear Stoner: Should I ever take a break from smoking? I feel like putting it aside for a couple of months may do some good.
Laine

Dear Laine: Thinking about taking a break? Then you probably should. If you’re a recreational smoker and don’t depend on cannabis for medical relief or a better quality of life (getting high because it’s fun doesn’t count), then there’s no reason to smoke every day if it’s slowing you down. I'm not saying that those who do smoke every day have a problem, but your lungs, brain and peripheral vision could all use a break from THC sometimes. Stay clear for a few weeks and see how you feel – and how your shitty cooking tastes. But remember that there are other ways to consume cannabis besides smoking…

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