How Long are Benzodiazepine Detectable after Cessation?
Benzodiazepines are detectable in the urine for 3 days after therapeutic use and for 4 6 weeks after chronic term use. It is detectable in hair for 90 days after cessation and in blood for 6 48 hours.
(Sources: Wikipedia and Straight Facts About Drugs & Drug Abuse Health Canada)
Many factors unique to the individual being tested determine the actual half-life of the particular drug including such variables as age, weight, body fat index, sex, metabolic rate, overall health and amount of drug consumed over what period of time. Therefore, no conclusions can be drawn as to when a particular drug was taken or how much was consumed with any type of drug of abuse test. Generally however, chronic use of high potency drugs by individuals with a high body fat count, low metabolism rate (older) and in poor general health will place drug clearance periods at the higher range. To re-emphasize, it should be clearly understood that drug tests are not intended to determine when drugs were used, only whether the drug screened for is present at the time the test is performed.
(Source: http://www.craigmedical.com/drug_test_faq.htm)
The following chart from LabCorp gives approximate detection periods for each substance by test type.The ranges depend on amount and frequency of use, metabolic rate, body mass, age, overall health, and urine pH. For ease of use, the detection times of metabolites have been incorporated into each parent drug. For example, heroin and cocaine can only be detected for a few hours after use, but their metabolites can be detected for several days in urine. In this type of situation, we will report the (longer) detection times of the metabolites.
NOTE 1: Oral fluid or saliva testing results for the most part mimic that of blood. The only exception is THC. Oral fluid will likely detect THC from ingestion up to a maximum period of 18-24 hours
NOTE 2: Urine can not detect current drug use. It takes approximately 68 hrs. or more post-consumption for drug to be metabolized and excreted in urine. Similarly, hair requires two weeks, and sweat, seven days. (Source: Wikipedia)
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approximate values for detection periods |
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|
Substance |
Urine |
Hair |
Blood |
|
Alcohol |
35 days via Ethyl Gluconoride(EtG) metabolite or 1012 hours via traditional method |
up to years |
12 hours |
|
Amphetamines (except meth) |
1 to 2 days |
up to 90 days |
12 hours |
|
Methamphetamine |
2 to 4 days |
up to 90 days |
24 hours |
|
Barbiturates (except phenobarbital) |
2 to 3 days |
up to 90 days |
1 to 2 days |
|
Phenobarbital |
7 to 14 days |
up to 90 days |
4 to 7 days |
|
Benzodiazepines |
Therapeutic use: 3 days. Chronic use (over one year): 4 to 6 weeks |
up to 90 days |
6 to 48 hours |
|
Cannabis |
Single Use: 14 days
Chronic Use: Up to 30 days, sometimes longer |
up to 90 days |
2 days |
|
Cocaine |
2 to 4 days |
up to 90 days |
24 hours |
|
Codeine |
2 days |
up to 90 days |
12 hours |
|
Cotinine (a break-down product of nicotine) |
2 to 4 days |
up to 90 days |
2 to 4 days |
|
Morphine |
2 days |
up to 90 days |
6 hours |
|
Heroin |
2 days |
up to 90 days |
6 hours |
|
LSD |
2 to 24 hours |
Up to 3 days |
0 to 3 hours |
|
Methadone |
3 days |
Up to 30 days |
24 hours |
|
PCP |
14 days; up to 30 days in chronic users |
up to 90 days |
24 hours |
(Sources: Wikipedia)