How Long Does Meth Stay In Your System? Detecting Meth in Tests & Effective Treatment Options

By We Level Up NJ Treatment Center | Editor Yamilla Francese | Clinically Reviewed By Lauren Barry, LMFT, MCAP, QS, Director of Quality Assurance | Editorial Policy | Research Policy | Last Updated: March 13, 2023

How Long Does Meth Stay In Your System? How Long Does A Meth High Last?

Methamphetamine, known as meth, crystal, ice, and Tina, is an incredibly addictive artificial stimulant. Any recreational use of the drug is highly illegal. It’s alarming that in 2018, an estimated 1.9 million (0.7%) Americans aged 12 or older abused methamphetamine in the prior year. The effects of taking this illicit drug are long-lasting, with reports that they can be felt up to 24 hours after ingestion. Meth drug use is detectable three days after through urine tests or ninety days via hair strands drug tests!

Continue reading how long does meth stay in your system, and how long does meth stay in your urine?

How Long Does Crystal Meth Stay In Your System?

The euphoric effects of crystal meth high can last between 8-24 hours. Crystal meth can be detected for up to 72 hours in urine and 90 days in hair.

Meth in System Test	Time in System
Hair Meth Test	90 days
Urine Meth Test	72 hours; more in chronic users

Risks From Meth Addiction

Meth is known for its chemical dependence and drug abuse characteristics. Meth is classified as a Schedule II substance. And while limited pharmaceutical drugs are sold, much of methamphetamine is illegally made and used recreationally to get high.

Methamphetamine can cause considerable health troubles that can result in death. Meth can be smoked, snorted, injected, or taken orally and is often used with other substances.

How Long Does A Meth High Last?

A meth high has multiple stages and can last hours or days. Unlike cocaine, meth delivers a lengthy euphoria experienced in several stages.

How long does meth high last? During the meth rush phase, a user is high for about 14 hours.

In its initial stage, the dopamine rush meth supplies are nearly immediate and powerful. People feel a burst of energy building while their heart races, crowning at a high filled with rapid speech and confidence.

How long does meth high last during the next stage? Which can be an even longer meth high. Typically, meth high lasts a few hours but can extend up to 15 hours. A person may feel very outspoken and inclined to debate to make a point. They can usually focus on one activity, such as standing and staring at a piece of furniture or a flame or busily repeating a chore like snapping their fingers or mopping a room.

Thus, the answer to how long is a meth high is the totality of all stages for a high that lasts 2-3 days.

When the meth high is over, emotional issues start to show themselves due to fatigue and incapacity to regain a methamphetamine high. People using meth often explain the period after meth high as a sense of emptiness, loss, and cravings for the drug. This period after the meth high is risky for the user and others around them due to their hostility to harm themselves. This stage post the meth high is commonly called “tweaking.”

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What does a meth high feel like?

When addicted to meth, users repeat the meth rush and high cycles for days to extend the ecstasy from a methamphetamine high. In other words, they attempt to make the meth high last as long as possible. This helps avoid negative withdrawal discomfort. While using and getting high, meth addicts may hardly eat or sleep. The body wastes physically and mentally, leading to the next stage of a meth high called the shutdown or tweaking stage.

How does meth affect the body?

Someone using meth may temporarily experience heightened euphoria, alertness, and energy.

How does meth affect the nervous system?

Meth affects the nervous system because it increases the amount of dopamine, a natural chemical, in the brain. Dopamine is involved in body movement, motivation, and reinforcing rewarding behaviors. Meth rapidly releases high dopamine levels into reward areas of the brain, making people want to continue to use meth.

How does meth affect the heart?

Meth changes how the brain works and speeds up the body’s systems to dangerous, sometimes lethal, levels—increasing blood pressure and heart and respiratory rates. People who repeatedly use meth may also experience anxiety, paranoia, aggression, hallucinations, and mood disturbances.

How Long Do Meth High Last Factors?

How long a meth high lasts can range widely. It varies from person to person and for each meth high experience. Factors that impact how long a methamphetamine high lasts include:

• Dosage.
• Potency.
• Route of administration.
• Tolerance of user.
• Polysubstance use.
• User’s medical history.
• Body’s ability to metabolize methamphetamine.

How Long Does Meth Say in Your System Chart

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Learn More:

• How Long Does Meth Stay In Urine? How Long Does Meth Stay in Your System? Meth Drug Test Factors, Detox & Treatment
• Meth Addiction Treatment Centers, Detox, Rehab, and Addiction Programs
• What Does Meth Look Like? Risks & Effects of Meth Abuse
• Meth Pipe & Paraphernalia – Risks & Effects of Meth Addiction
• Faces Of Meth Before & After Photos, Signs, Meth Mouth, Meth Mites, Effects, Symptoms & Treatment
• Meth Effects
• Meth Detox Withdrawal Symptoms, Timeline, & Effective Treatment Options
• Amphetamine vs Methamphetamine
• What Does Meth Taste Like? Risks and Effects of Meth
• What Does Meth Smell Like When Youre Cooking It?
• Meth Eyes – The Effects of Meth on The Eyes
• Meth Mouth
• The Dangers Of Crystal Meth
• Deadly Meth Head Symptoms, Signs, Meth Head Teeth, Meth Heads Before and After Pictures
• How To Identify Fake Meth, Risks & Effects of Addiction
• Tweak Meaning – Dangers of Meth Addiction
• Meth Pupils – Effects of Meth on Eyes
• Meth Sores Definition, Symptoms, Traits, Causes & Treatment

What Is The Half-Life Of Meth?

The half-life of meth is 9 to 24 hours. Accordingly, it takes between 9 and 24 hours for the concentration of meth in a person’s blood to drop by half.

How Long Does Crytal Meth Stay In Your System?

Crystal Meth is a highly potent and addictive stimulant that excites the brain. It typically comes as a powder but can be snorted, smoked, injected, and even swallowed in pill form. Meth is frequently abused and sold on the street under many nicknames because of its highly addictive quality. Meth users struggle to give up on their own and must seek professional meth addiction help to stop permanently finally. Continued abuse can lead to serious health problems and a drastic decline in physical condition.

How long does meth stay in your system for? Each individual is different; therefore, there is no set time for how long meth stays in your system. Various factors contribute to and can affect this number. Generally, the “high” that users get from meth starts relatively fast. The metabolism of meth is more rapid in some people than in others. The effects of the drug typically last from six to twelve hours. However, traces of meth in an individual’s system can be found even months later. The amount of time the drug remains in the body can change depending on the dose of meth taken, the person’s physical characteristics, and the frequency of use.

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What’s The Difference Between Meth & Crystal Meth?

Crystal meth is a pure form of meth, forming in a crystalline structure. It is typically traded this way to prove that it is in its purest form. However, you can get the same substance in powder, putty, or tablet form. The effects are the same, although more robust. Therefore, crystal meth can stay in the system longer than a weaker form of the same drug. How long will meth stay in the system based partially on the form of Meth used, powder vs. putty or tablet?

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Methamphetamine Fact Sheet

Methamphetamine is also known as Meth and Desoxyn.

Methamphetamine Stimulant

It can handle ADHD. It can aid in the weight loss of obese patients.

Methamphetamine Controlled Substance

It can lead to heart failure, delirium, panic attacks, rapid or irregular heartbeat, and psychosis.

Methamphetamine Availability

Prescription only.

Methamphetamine & Pregnancy

Consult a physician.

Methamphetamine & Alcohol

Avoid. There may be severe interactions.

How Does Meth Affect the Brain? Meth Effects, Signs & Symptoms

How does meth affect you? Research has found that methamphetamine alters the part of the brain affected by decision-making and harms the ability to control damaging behaviors. These changes in the brain may clarify why meth addiction is so hard to treat and has a raised possibility for relapse early in treatment.

Meth Addiction Statistics

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, from 2015 to 2018, an estimated 1.6 million U.S. adults aged 18 years and above, on average, reported past-year meth use; 52.9% had a meth addiction, and 22.3% reported injecting meth within the past year. In addition, co-occurring substance use and mental illness were common among those who used meth within the past year.

2.6 million

In 2020, 0.9%, or around 2.6 million people, reported taking methamphetamine in the previous 12 months.

Source: National Institute On Drug Abuse

0.2%

In 2021, it is projected that 0.2% of eighth-graders, 0.2% of tenth-graders, and 0.2% of twelfth-graders used methamphetamine in the previous year.

Source: National Institute On Drug Abuse

1.5 million

Methamphetamine use problem in the previous 12 months affected a projected 0.6% (or 1.5 million) of individuals aged 12 or older in 2020.

Source: National Institute On Drug Abuse

How Does Meth Affect the Body?

Methamphetamine is often either injected or smoked in a tiny glass pipe. The drug enters the brain fairly quickly with both techniques, with injection being the quickest. This results in an immensely delightful “rush” or “flash” of bliss. The drug can also be taken orally or snorted through the nose, generating a long-lasting high lasting up to half a day instead of an acute rush and frequently accompanied by increased physical activity.

Contrary to cocaine, a stimulant swiftly eliminated from and almost entirely digested in the body, meth stays in the body for considerably longer, mostly remaining untouched by the body’s metabolism. This results in sustained stimulant effects. Depending on how much is consumed, the time of day, how it was administered (IV, oral, etc.), how well the kidneys and liver are functioning, and the person’s body chemistry, the effects of meth can last anywhere from 8 to 24 hours.

How Does Meth Break Down In The Body?

The body quickly absorbs meth whether it’s injected, smoked, snorted, or taken orally. The liver naturally breaks down the drug. In the liver, part of meth is turned into amphetamine, a stimulant drug with the same chemical structure. Both amphetamine and methamphetamine are released in the urine. The length of time meth stays in the body depends mainly on the drug’s elimination half-life, which is the amount of time it takes to clear half the drug from the bloodstream.

However, half-lives are not precise and can change depending on many physiological factors. The half-life of meth commonly ranges from six to fifteen hours. The pH level, or the acidity, of a person’s urine may also impact how fast the drug is excreted. Other factors, including weight, age, and overall health, affect how fast meth is metabolized or discharged from the body.

So, how long does crystal meth stay in your system? That often depends on the strength and volume of the drug taken and how it is used. If you take a prescription recommended dose of 30mg, it’s halved to 15 in your system within 12 hours. By 24 hours, you’re down to 7.5mg. At 60 hours, you’d have slightly less of a milligram of drug left in your system.

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What Factors Affect How Long Crystal Meth Stays In Your System?

Metabolic Rate

Metabolic rate is the number of calories needed to keep the body functioning at rest. An average man has a metabolic rate of around 7,100 KJ per day, while an average woman has a metabolic rate of about 5,900 kJ per day. You’ll process drugs much more quickly if you have a high metabolic rate. Factors such as age, gender, activity level, and health also will play significant roles when determining your metabolic rate. An 18–25-year-old man will most likely metabolize meth much more quickly than nearly any other demographic.

Body Fat

Lipids usually retain substances and store them. This could mean people with more body fat will retain meth much longer. This, along with naturally slower metabolisms, is why most women typically show up positive on drug tests for longer than men.

Rate of Use

The more the person uses meth, the harder it is for the body to metabolize it. The body will experience what is called “system saturation”. It means the body will retain the meth for a longer period. Frequent, heavy, and long-term abuse means meth will stay in the system longer.

Health

The liver and kidneys’ health will affect how long crystal meth stays in your system. This is affected by your health, total drug use, infections, food, and more.

Usage

Injecting crystal meth means it will stay in your system longer than someone smoking or using it orally. This isn’t true with prescription amphetamines designed for slow release with oral tablets but is true of crystal meth.

These hazardous effects can be worst if you mix crystal meth and alcohol.

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How Long Does Meth Stay In Saliva?

Like most drugs, crystal meth can normally be detected in saliva or oral fluids for one day. However, in some cases, it can be detected up to three days later. Saliva samples are often collected by placing an absorbent swab between a person’s gums and lower cheek. The swab is left for several minutes before the sample is sent to the lab for testing. Like blood, saliva tests offer one of the shortest detection windows by detecting meth up to 48 hours after the last use. This factor is because substances like meth are immediately metabolized and eliminated from the membranes and secretions of the mouth, making it harder to identify them.

How Long Does Meth Stay In Your Hair?

Hair has the most extended detection period for meth. Methamphetamine can be detected in hair follicles as soon as seven to ten days after an individual has used it. The substance stays in the hair for up to ninety days. However, hair tests are usually expensive compared to other types of testing. Illicit drugs such as cocaine, opioids, and meth tend to adhere more strongly to hair with darker pigments. Unfortunately, environmental contamination has been proven to cause false positives.

Tests using the hair sample are best suited for detecting heavy meth use. However, it won’t necessarily identify one-time use of the drug. A hair test will show what substance entered the body, when it first entered it, and when it last entered it. Myths of achieving a clean drug test, like dying your hair, baking soda bombs, or drinking a lot of water, do not help. The only way to help you achieve a clean drug test is not to take drugs long enough before the test.

How Long Does Meth Stay In Urine?

How long does meth stay in your system urine test? The kidneys are primarily responsible for discharging methamphetamine from the body. They will excrete hydroxymethamphetamine, the byproduct of methamphetamine metabolism, with the body eliminates 37-54% of methamphetamine in urine.

Urine testing is the most popular and cost-effective method to screen for meth use. This is because meth and its primary metabolite, amphetamine, will appear in urine within an hour of ingesting the drug. Samples of urine obtained from occasional meth users will test positive one to three days after the last use. A chronic meth user might still test positive seven to ten days after using the drug.

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How Long Does Meth Stay in Your Blood?

How long does meth stay in your blood system? Substances are immediately metabolized and broken down in the bloodstream. As a result, while meth can be discovered using a blood drug test, the period for detection is narrow compared to other methods. Blood tests can detect the presence of a substance up to 2 days after the last dosage.

What are the Implications of Second-Hand Meth Smoke?

While it may cause you to test positive for methamphetamine, researchers are unsure if inhaling secondhand methamphetamine smoke will make you feel high. More research must be conducted to confirm the specifics surrounding this topic.

How Long Does It Take To Get Addicted To Meth?

There is currently a lack of research demonstrating how long it takes for meth usage to lead to the onset of a substance use disorder. When someone has a substance use disorder, they engage in compulsive drug-seeking behavior, continuing to take their drug of choice despite feeling the negative symptoms of their addiction.

The possibility of developing a dependence on meth or going through withdrawal after just one use has also received little research. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), withdrawal usually happens when persons who use meth regularly stop using it or reduce their usage.

Meth Withdrawal

By this time, withdrawal symptoms from meth will appear, especially in strong, long-term users. This drug’s withdrawal symptoms are unpleasant and accompanied by intense cravings. An individual who uses meth is frequently motivated by this to take increasingly larger doses of the substance. It takes longer for a substance to leave the system the longer and heavier the use altogether. Symptoms of methamphetamine withdrawal may include:

• Increased appetite
• Nervousness and sadness
• Lack of pleasure (anhedonia)
• Anger and violence
• Irritability
• Fatigue
• Lethargy
• Muscle tremors
• Sweating
• Headaches
• Fever
• Dizziness
• Inability to pay attention
• Paranoia
• Delusions
• Psychosis
• Suicidal thoughts

Despite not being immediately fatal, like the withdrawal symptoms from opioids, alcohol, or benzodiazepines, the psychological repercussions of meth withdrawal can cause users to injure themselves or others. It is strongly advised against attempting “cold turkey” methamphetamine withdrawal management without a doctor’s supervision.

How To Get Meth Out Of Your System

Due to the effects that meth has on the brain, many people may find quitting harmful. Programs for managing meth withdrawal assist patients in detoxing from meth in a supportive and supervised setting.

Medical practitioners support patients in meth withdrawal management programs as they allow their bodies to detoxify off the drug. The symptoms of meth withdrawal may be managed by patients with the assistance of these medical specialists while they are detoxing off meth. Detoxing from meth is frequently the initial phase of a SUD treatment program. To learn more about meth withdrawal, click on the below button.

Top 3 Most Popular Meth Addiction FAQs

1. How Long Does Meth Stay In Your System When Smoked?

   If you wonder, “how long does smoking meth stay in your system?”, Methamphetamine may remain detectable in a person’s bloodstream for 2–3 days following use and possibly longer for chronic users. However, each person’s physiological makeup is unique.

2. How Long Does Crystal Meth Stay In Your System For?

   Meth’s effects linger long, and its detoxification might take up to 4 days. It has a half-life of roughly ten hours. This indicates that it takes the body around 10 hours to digest and remove 50% of the amount taken from the bloodstream. Thus, the answer to how long meth stays in your system may vary but generally two to three days.

3. How Long Does Meth Amphetamines Stay In Your System?

   Amphetamine abusers frequently question how long the drugs remain in their bodies. A doctor should be consulted if you’ve stopped using amphetamines or are considering quitting since you can experience meth withdrawal. A doctor can advise you on how to stop using these medicines. To assist you in managing withdrawal, a doctor may advise a tapering regimen or refer you to treatment. How long meth stays in your system will also depend on the dose and purity of the drug.

Find The Right Meth Treatment Plan At We Level Up NJ

While Meth use may seem pleasurable, we all know that the meth high doesn’t last forever. Rather than placing yourself at risk or watching loved ones place themselves in harm’s way, get help. The We Level Up meth treatment center network offers a combination of treatment therapies to support people to get off meth and start their recovery. Our medical detox in New Jersey and beyond includes care and support from medical staff to monitor meth withdrawal and manage symptoms. Treating your mental health and substance use disorder is a life-changing journey. Get the treatment you deserve, and call us today.

If you ask yourself how long does meth stay in your system, you’re either concerned about having too many drugs in your system or worried that you will test positive for the drug. Heavy meth users need to detox from the drug under the guidance of a medical professional who can safely supervise them through withdrawal and treatment.

Talk to one of our team members today to learn more about our treatment programs and how we can help you recover from meth mouth due to crystal meth addiction. Our team at We Level Up NJ specializes in creating an ideal environment and providing effective therapies to help individuals who struggle with crystal meth abuse. We will develop a personalized treatment plan and lead you to recovery. Get started today!

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Sources

[1] CDC – https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6912a1.htm for How Long Does Meth Stay in Your System?

[2] We Level Up – Rehab » Meth Addiction Treatment and How Long Does Meth Stay in Your System

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Tips for Teens: Methamphetamine | Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) (PDF | 253 KB) How Long Does Meth Stay in Your System for teen drug abuse.

National Survey on Drug Use and Health | SAMHSA How Long Does Meth Stay in Your System statistics.

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Drug Facts: Methamphetamine | NIDA How Long Does Meth Stay in Your System facts.

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