How does the THC saliva test work?

THC saliva tests are now available. These small, ingenious devices allow you to check the level of THC in your system. Comparable to self-tests, they let you check where you stand before taking to the road, or after using CBD, if you want to confirm that the THC level is not above the legal threshold in force. Here is an overview.

What is a THC saliva test?

The tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) molecule can be detected in the body for several hours and even several days after use. Several types of test can reveal THC in the body. The best known are urine tests and blood tests. There is even one based on hair. The most recent to reach the market is the THC saliva test.

Depending on the type of test carried out, the result will be more or less precise. In blood, cannabinoids are only detectable for 24 to 48 hours. They remain for up to 30 days in urine and 90 days in hair. In saliva, these molecules are present for up to 72 hours. A saliva test therefore gives an approximate reading of how much of the substance is present in your body.

How precise saliva tests are

There are a great many saliva tests on the market, and they are obviously not all equal. The more precise a test is, meaning the lower the detection threshold in nanograms of THC molecules per millilitre of saliva, the more reliable the result will be. On the market you will find tests set at 50 ng/ml. Those used by the police, however, are set at 15 ng/ml, since that is the legal threshold allowed in saliva. In other words, if the test is simply to satisfy your curiosity, the 50 ng/ml model will do. Otherwise, go for the 15.

The THC saliva test: an immediate check

A THC saliva test is useful if you want to know the THC level in your body shortly after use. It is practical, easy to use and the results are immediate.

These devices are designed for all users. They can be used anywhere and at any time. Whether you are at a party, at a concert or simply at a friend’s house or at home, a THC saliva test will tell you whether THC is present in your body.

Increasingly widespread because it is reasonably reliable, the THC saliva test is used by the police during roadside checks. Blood and urine tests remain complicated to carry out during that kind of operation, which is why the saliva test is strongly preferred.

How do you use a THC saliva test?

First of all, you will need to obtain a device, either online or from a pharmacy. If you are a user, it is strongly recommended that you keep one on you or in the glovebox. To use the test, you first need to produce plenty of saliva in the mouth. Then take the new test out of its packaging and place the strip at the end of it in your mouth, resting your tongue on the absorbent section.

Hold that position until the saliva has soaked the absorbent strip up to the C and T lines on the test. It looks very much like a Covid-19 self-test. Once the strip is thoroughly soaked, take the test out of your mouth and close the cap. After a few minutes, the result appears.

Reading it is very simple: if two bars appear, one at the C and the other at the T, you are negative. If, on the other hand, there is only one bar at the C, you are positive. In every other case, no line at all or a single line at the T, the test has failed and you need to take another one.