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How Long Do Drugs Stay in Your System (Cocaine, Meth, Fentanyl, etc.)?

How long a drug stays in your system can vary based on several factors, including the type of substance, frequency of use, and individual health.1 It’s also important to understand that detection times are not always the same as how long you may feel a drug’s effects or experience withdrawal symptoms and cravings.2 

Learn more below about approximate timelines for how long different substances can be detected in the body or contact our addiction rehab in Kansas City to begin treatment today. 

How Long Do Drugs Stay in Your System?

There are several methods of drug testing, including urine, hair, saliva, and blood. These tests can detect drugs in your system for varying lengths of time. For example, blood tests can typically detect recent drug use, while hair tests have the longest window for detection.3

Several factors influence the amount of time drugs stay in your system. These include your unique traits, the type of substance, its half-life, repeated dosing, and more.4,5 Everyone’s different, and some drugs metabolize faster than others because of individual characteristics. Your genetics, gender, age, diet, and more can all play a part in how long a substance stays in your system.4,5

Various drugs also have different effects on your body and metabolize at different rates.5 How often you use a substance can affect drug detection times. Generally, frequent use can increase the amount of time it takes for any substance to leave your body.6 People may also swallow, inhale, snort, or inject drugs, which can affect how quickly they reach the bloodstream.7

A drug’s half-life also has a role in how long it remains in your system. Half-life is the amount of time it takes for the concentration of a substance in your body to fall to half of its original level. Substances with longer half-lives can take more time to be eliminated from your body.5

How Long Do Opioids Stay in Your System?

Opioids, like heroin, morphine, and codeine, can be detected in your system up to 90 days, depending on the type of drug test.3 How long the effects of opioids take to wear off can vary depending on the specific drug’s half-life, which may range from about 0.6 hours to 36 hours for certain opioids.8

Some opioids can be found in short and long-acting forms. The release rate will affect how long opioids take to leave your system, with extended-release opioids taking longer for your body to metabolize.9

Here are some common short-acting opioids9:

Here are some common long-acting opioids9:

  • Fentanyl (transdermal patches)
  • OxyContin (an extended-release form of oxycodone)

Research shows urine drug tests can detect codeine between 2 and 4 days, morphine between 2 and 5 days, and heroin between 2 and 3 days.3 Some opioids can be found in hair tests for up to 90 days, and saliva up to 36 hours.3 Still, this can vary based on the type of opioid and its release rate.

How Long Do Benzos Stay in Your System?

Similar to opioids, benzodiazepines are available in short and long-acting forms, which can influence how long benzos take to leave your system.10 Short-acting benzos have shorter half-lives of 1 to 12 hours, while immediate-acting benzos have half-lives of 12–40 hours, and long-acting ones have half-lives of 40-150 hours.11

Here are some common short-acting benzos10,11:

Here are some common long-acting benzos10,11:

Benzos can stay in your system for up to 90 days, depending on the type of drug test. Urine screenings can detect these medications for up to 7 days, while hair tests can identify benzos for up to 90 days.3

How Long Does Cocaine/Crack Stay in Your System?

The windows of detection for cocaine and crack can also vary depending on several factors, including the type of drug test. Cocaine has a very short half-life of between 40 and 90 minutes.12

Urine tests can detect these drugs between 2 and 4 days after use. Cocaine can be found in saliva for up to about 24-36 hours, and up to 90 days in hair.3 This drug is often snorted in powder form or smoked in rock form.12

How Long Does Meth Stay in Your System?

How long meth will show up on a drug test can vary based on multiple factors. Methamphetamine, also known as crystal meth, can be detected in your system between one hour and 90 days, depending on the type of drug test.3 Meth has a half-life of 6-15 hours.14 Urine tests may detect meth for 2 to 5 days, hair tests for up to 90 days, and saliva tests for up to 48 hours.3

How Long Does Ketamine Stay in Your System?

​​Ketamine is processed quickly by the body at first, with an initial half-life of about 10 to 15 minutes, though it can continue to circulate and break down over a longer period of up to 2.5 hours.15 How long ketamine stays in your system can vary depending on the type of drug test used and how often it’s taken.16,17 One study found ketamine and its main byproduct in hair samples for up to 16 weeks after a single dose.16 Other research suggests repeated use may extend how long it remains detectable to around 11 days, and its byproduct has been found in urine up to 14 days after use in some cases.17

How Long Does Ecstasy/MDMA Stay in Your System?

How long ecstasy or MDMA stays in your system also varies. Ecstasy has a half-life of about 8 hours18 Research shows that MDMA can be found in your urine for up to five days and in saliva for up to 71 hours in some cases.19,20 Hair drug tests can detect ecstasy in your system for several months after use, depending partially on hair length.21 Like most drugs, several factors play into detection window times. These include the dosage, frequency of use, genetics, and how the body processes drugs.19,20

How Long Do Hallucinogens Stay in Your System?

Hallucinogen detection times can vary depending on multiple factors, including the type of drug. Common hallucinogens include psilocybin mushrooms, LSD, and DMT.22 While there are limits in detection methods for LSD, studies have found that in positive urine tests, the metabolite, 2-oxo-3-hydroxy-LSD, is typically found at higher levels than the drug itself, and can be detected for longer periods.23

Psilocybin, the psychoactive compound found in mushrooms, has a half-life of about 50 minutes. About two-thirds of the drug is eliminated within 3 hours, and it is generally undetectable in urine after 24 hours.24

DMT has a short half-life and is metabolized quickly, which can make it difficult to detect in standard urine and blood testing windows. One study found that DMT was not detectable in urine 24 hours after administration.25

Drug Addiction Treatment in Kansas City

If you or a loved one is seeking addiction treatment, help is available at Empowered Recovery Kansas City. We offer many types of rehab programs that can help you start your path to recovery. Our rehab admissions team can help you find a level of care suitable for your unique needs.

We’re here to answer any questions about paying for addiction treatment, including rehab insurance coverage and other ways to cover costs. Contact Empowered Recovery to verify your insurance and learn more about how to start your recovery journey.

References

  1. U.S Food and Drug Administration. (2018). Drugs of Abuse Home Use Test. Retrieved on December 11, 2025, from http://fda.gov/medical-devices/drugs-abuse-tests/drugs-abuse-home-use-test
  2. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2021). Medications for Opioid Use Disorder: For Healthcare and Addiction Professionals, Policymakers, Patients, and Families: Retrieved on December 11, 2025, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK574915/
  3. Hadland S., Levy S. (2016). Objective Testing: Urine and Other Drug Tests. Retrieved on December 11, 2025, from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4920965/
  4. Lin, Y., Thummel, K., Thompson, B., Totah, R., Cho, C. (2021) Sources of Interindividual Variability. Retrieved on December 11, 2025, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34272705/
  5. Hallare, J., Gerriets, V. (2025). Elimination Half-Life of Drugs. Retrieved on December 11, 2025, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554498/
  6. Verstraete, A. (2004) Detection times of drugs of abuse in blood, urine, and oral fluid.Retrieved on December 11, 2025, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15228165/
  7. Alagga, A., Pellegrini, M., Gupta, V. (2024) Drug Absorption. Retrieved on December 11, 2025, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557405/
  8. Kharasch, E. (2015). Opioid Half-lives and Hemlines: The Long and Short of Fashion. Retrieved on December 11, 2025, from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4439340/
  9. Argoff, C., Silvershein, D. (2009). A comparison of long- and short-acting opioids for the treatment of chronic noncancer pain: tailoring therapy to meet patient needs. Retrieved on December 11, 2025, from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2704132/
  10. Health Research Board. (n.d.). HRB National Drugs Library: Benzodiazepines. Retrieved on December 11, 2025, from https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/glossary/info/benzodiazepines
  11. Griffin, C., Kaye, A., Bueno, F., & Kaye, A. (2013). Benzodiazepine pharmacology and central nervous system-mediated effects. Retrieved on December 11, 2025, from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3684331/
  12. Roque, R., Faria, A., Brito-da-Costa, A., Carmo, H., et al. (2022). Cocaine: An Updated Overview on Chemistry, Detection, Biokinetics, and Pharmacotoxicological Aspects including Abuse Pattern. Retrieved on December 11, 2025, fromhttps://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/14/4/278
  13. Ellefsen, K., Concheiro, M. Pirard, S. Gorelick, D. et al. (2016). Oral fluid cocaine and benzoylecgonine concentrations following controlled intravenous cocaine administration. Retrieved on December 11, 2025, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0379073816000219
  14. Wisconsin Department of Justice. (2024). Methamphetamine Monograph. Retrieved on December 11, 2025, from https://www.wisdoj.gov/Forensic%20Science/Methamphetamine%20Monograph.pdf
  15. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2022). Medication guide: Ketalar. Retrieved on December 11, 2025, fromhttps://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2022/016812s051lbl.pdf
  16. Xiang, P., Sun, Q., Shen, B., Shen, M. (2011). Disposition of ketamine and norketamine in hair after a single dose. Retrieved on December 11, 2025, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21153031/
  17. Dinis-Oliveira, R. (2017). Metabolism and Metabolomics of Ketamine: A Toxicological Approach. Retrieved on December 11, 2025, from https://academic.oup.com/fsr/article/2/1/2/6761767
  18. Papaseit, E., Pérez-Mañá, C., Mateus, J., Pujadas, M., et al. (2016). Human pharmacology of mephedrone in comparison with MDMA. Retrieved on December 11, 2025, from https://www.nature.com/articles/npp201675
  19. Barnes, A., Scheidweiler, K., Kolbrich-Spargo, E., Gorelick, D., et al. (2011). MDMA and metabolite disposition in expectorated oral fluid after controlled oral MDMA administration. Retrieved on December 11, 2025, from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3178664/
  20. Schwaninger, A., Meyer, M., Barnes, A., Kolbrich-Spargo, E. et al. (2011). Urinary excretion kinetics of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) and its phase I and phase II metabolites in humans following controlled MDMA administration. Retrieved on December 11, 2025, from https://academic.oup.com/clinchem/article-abstract/57/12/1748/5621226?redirectedFrom=fulltext&login=false
  21. Palamar, J., Salomone, A., Gerace, E., Di Corcia, D., Vincenti, M., & Cleland, C. (2017). Hair testing to assess both known and unknown use of drugs amongst ecstasy users in the electronic dance music scene. Retrieved on December 11, 2025, fromhttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5601020/
  22. Drug Enforcement Administration. (2020). Drug Fact Sheet: Hallucinogens. Retrieved on December 11, 2025, from https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2020-06/Hallucinogens-2020.pdf
  23. Passie, T., Halpern, J., Stichtenoth, D., Emrich, H., & Hintzen, A. (2008). The Pharmacology of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide: A Review. CNS Neuroscience and Therapeutics. Retrieved on December 11, 2025, from https://maps.org/research-archive/w3pb/2008/2008_Passie_23067_1.pdf
  24. Aronson, J. (2016). Psilocybin. Retrieved on December 11, 2025, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/chapter/referencework/abs/pii/B978044453717100158X
  25. Carbonaro, T., & Gatch, M. (2016). Neuropharmacology of N,N-dimethyltryptamine. Retrieved on December 11, 2025, from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5048497/
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