Blood Drug Testing | Overview & Detection Times

Drug tests detect prescription and illicit drugs in a person’s system. There are multiple types of drug tests, including blood, urine, saliva, sweat, and hair tests. 

Blood testing is often considered the most accurate testing method. It’s mainly used to determine if someone is on drugs at the time of testing. Here’s what you should know about blood drug tests and their detection times. 

How Does A Blood Drug Test Work?

When you arrive for a blood drug test, a medical professional will likely ask you general questions about your health. You may also be asked to provide a list of any over-the-counter or prescription drugs you take. 

Next, the medical professional will use a needle or fingerstick to draw blood from your vein. In most cases, they will use a vein on the inside of your elbow or the back of your hand. 

The sample will then be sent to a laboratory, where technicians will test it for the presence of drugs. You will typically receive your test results within one week. 

While other drug tests detect a drug’s metabolites (byproducts), a blood test can detect the drug itself. That’s why it’s often considered the most accurate type of testing. 

In addition, unlike a urine sample, a blood sample cannot easily be tampered with. That’s because the blood must be drawn by a medical professional.

Blood Drug Test Detection Times

Compared to other drug tests, blood tests have very small detection windows. That’s why they’re typically used to detect if someone is on drugs at the time of testing. 

The exact detection time depends on various factors, including:

• the person’s sex, age, weight, body mass, and overall health
• the person’s drug tolerance and metabolic rate
• how often the person used drugs

Detection times also depend on the type of drug used. Here are the most common drugs of abuse and their average blood test detection times:

Alcohol

In general, alcohol can be detected on a blood test for up to 12 hours after your last drink.

Marijuana (Cannabis)

Marijuana will usually appear on a blood test for up to 4 hours after your last use of the drug. Synthetic marijuana (a new, human-made substance designed to mimic marijuana) will appear for up to 48 hours after your last use.

Barbiturates

Barbiturates, which include drugs like amobarbital (Amytal), butabarbital (Butisol), and pentobarbital (Nembutal), appear on blood tests for up to 72 hours after last use. 

Benzodiazepines

Popular benzodiazepines and their standard detection times include:

• Ativan (lorazepam): up to 3 days
• Librium (chlordiazepoxide): up to 48 hours
• Restoril (temazepam): up to 24 hours
• Valium (diazepam): up to 48 hours
• Xanax (alprazolam): up to 24 hours

Opioids (Opiates)

Popular opioids and their standard detection times include:

• codeine: up to 24 hours
• fentanyl: up to 2 days
• heroin: up to 6 hours
• hydrocodone: up to 24 hours
• methadone: up to 24 hours
• morphine: up to 3 days
• oxycodone: up to 24 hours
• tramadol: up to 48 hours

Stimulants

Popular stimulants and their standard detection times include:

• Adderall (amphetamine): up to 48 hours
• cocaine: up to 24 hours
• ecstasy (MDMA): up to 2 days
• methamphetamine: up to 3 days
• Ritalin (methylphenidate): up to 12 hours
• Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine): up to 48 hours

Psychedelics

Popular psychedelics and their standard detection times include:

• ketamine: up to 4 days
• LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide): up to 12 hours
• mescaline (peyote): up to 24 hours
• PCP (phencyclidine): up to 24 hours
• psilocybin mushrooms: up to 24 hours

Drug Abuse & Addiction Treatment Options

A positive result on a blood drug test could have serious consequences, including loss of employment and criminal charges. 

If you feel unable to stop using drugs before a drug screening test, you may have drug addiction (also called substance use disorder). Common symptoms of this disease include:

• feeling unable to control your drug use
• needing increasingly larger or more frequent amounts of a drug to feel the desired effects (also called tolerance)
• experiencing withdrawal symptoms, such as anxiety and sweating, when you don’t use drugs (also called physical dependence)
• loss of interest in activities once enjoyed

Like other diseases, drug addiction requires professional treatment. To learn about treatment options, please contact an Ark Behavioral Health specialist. 

Our board-certified health care providers offer a variety of substance abuse treatments, including medical detox, mental health counseling, and support groups.