THC-COOH (THC Metabolites)
The breakdown products of THC — chiefly THC-COOH — that drug tests actually detect, which persist in the body long after marijuana’s effects wear off.
Key Facts
- Urine tests detect THC-COOH (carboxy-THC), not active THC
- Federal cutoffs: 50 ng/mL screening, 15 ng/mL confirmation
- Fat-soluble — heavy users can test positive for weeks after stopping
- Metabolite presence shows past exposure, not current impairment
When the body processes marijuana, active THC is metabolized into inactive compounds, principally 11-nor-9-carboxy-THC (THC-COOH), which is what urine drug tests detect at the federal 50 ng/mL screening and 15 ng/mL confirmation cutoff levels. Because THC metabolites are fat-soluble, they release gradually from body fat: an occasional user may clear within a few days, while a daily user can remain above the cutoff for several weeks after stopping entirely. This persistence is central to the marijuana-testing policy debate — a urine positive documents exposure sometime in the detection window, not impairment on the job — and is why several states with legal cannabis restrict employment actions based on metabolite-only results, and why oral fluid testing (which detects recent-use parent THC) is gaining ground.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- How long do THC metabolites stay in urine?
- It varies enormously with use frequency and body composition. A one-time user may drop below the 50 ng/mL screening cutoff within 3–4 days; a regular user might take 1–2 weeks; a heavy daily user can stay above the cutoff for 30 days or more, because fat-stored metabolites release gradually. No standard window fits everyone.
- Does a positive THC urine test mean the person was high at work?
- No. Urine tests detect the inactive metabolite THC-COOH, which persists days to weeks after use — long after impairment has passed. This is why some states limit employment decisions based on metabolite-only positives and why employers concerned specifically with recent use increasingly consider oral fluid testing, whose detection window is roughly 24–48 hours.
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