Detox drinks for getting cannabis out of your system: does anything really work?

There can be a number of reasons people want to detox from cannabis; perhaps you have an upcoming drug test for a new job, or you simply wish to take a tolerance break. With the celebrity allure of juice detox cleanses, it makes total sense that people might want to give juicing a try.

Detox drinks are typically consumed to support the body’s natural detox process and improve one’s health. But, as far as detox drinks for cannabis are concerned, there a lot of confusion about whether juices are effective at all.

Whatever reason you have for flushing good ol’ Mary Jane out of your system, there are a few drinks you can try to achieve an all-natural cannabis detox experience, as well as a few drinks you’ll want to avoid.

DETOX METHODS THAT DO WORK

TEA (DANDELION AND GREEN)

There are a couple herbal teas that can help in the natural removal process of cannabinoids. Dandelion tea is one, which helps eliminate any unessential toxins in the liver, and this includes THC.

Milk thistle, known for its high levels of antioxidants and liver-cleansing properties, also works great for a cannabis detox as it clears unwanted chemical substances in the body.

With regular consumption, green tea can also eliminate marijuana in the body because it has high levels of electrolytes and a small amount of caffeine that boosts metabolism. To detox, smokers should make this drink a daily habit for about a week to see results.

If you’re in a situation where you may be subject to random drug tests, you may be able to pass a drug test by taking the recommended amounts of the above. No guarantees, though.

LEMON JUICE

While lemon juice isn’t commonly known to detox cannabis, it has its benefits, and makes for an easy addition to your detox regimen. It not only helps promote good digestion, but it acidifies your urine and hydrates your body, which improves kidney and liver function.

Drinking pure lemon juice is not advised as it’s very acidic and can be extremely harsh on the stomach. You can make a concoction by squeezing fresh lemons into 16 ounces of water, then drinking it over the course of two hours. Drink this as much as possible beforehand and repeat as often as necessary, up to 5–6 times a day.

RESCUE CLEANSE

There are several companies claiming they can provide you with the perfect detox drink, but many of them don’t work at all. Rescue Cleanse however, is one of better detox drinks for cannabis and comes in two sizes.

The smaller one is 16 ounces and the bigger ones is 32 ounces. The company, Test Negative, has been selling it for some years now, and we must say, they are doing a tremendous job.

Rescue Cleanse is basically a masking detox drink, and according to TN, it masks cannabis for one to five hours. It’s important to plan ahead; the “clean window” opens after drinking 16 ounces an hour before a drug screening, and closes after about 5 hours.

DETOX METHODS THAT DON’T WORK

WHEATGRASS

Wheatgrass is a very popular detox drink. The thing that makes it so popular is the taste, and the fact that it contains tons of chlorophyll. Like kale, spinach, and other leafy greens, this pigment is known for its antioxidant and diuretic properties.

However, there's no scientific evidence that wheatgrass cleanses cannabis from the body. Those who drink more than one serving of any leafy green per day will put themselves at risk of oxalic acid or vitamin K poisoning, nutritional deficiencies, constipation, and iron issues.

CRANBERRY JUICE

Many have made claims that drinking cranberry juice helps mask cannabis in a drug test, but there is no valid scientific evidence that it works. What it does do is increase your risk of dehydration and sugar issues.

Cranberry juice may be commonly known as a diuretic, but it cannot eliminate THC from your system alone. So don’t waste your time believing it will help you pass a drug test, because it won’t. If you’re to drink any fruit juice at all, make sure it’s real juice. Artificial juices only contain a small amount, often 10% actual juice; the rest is sugar.

PICKLE JUICE

It’s believed that drinking gallons of pickle juice will work miracles for a marijuana detox by changing the pH of your urine, and thereby fooling the test into a negative result. We admit, this one is kind of funny, but unfortunately it's not true.

Instead, you will only add tons of toxins to your body. In fact, pickle juice could delay the detox because commercial pickle juice no longer has the healthy components that old-style pickle juice had.

It contains salt, water, various spices, and acetic acid chemicals (vinegar), which do nothing to help the liver clear out the higher-order toxins. A few sips here and there may help your digestive system, but drinking more than that, say a gallon worth, could cause gastric distress and acetic poisoning.

IN CONCLUSION

Whether detoxing or not, doing a cleanse promotes a lifestyle of positive habits and good health. Naturally cleansing marijuana from your system is very effective, but not instant. There’s a good chance that marijuana metabolites are still embedded in the system, so doing a cleanse only days before the test isn’t going to cut it.

Because each and every body processes cannabis differently, before beginning your cleanse, please use discretion and consult your healthcare provider if necessary.