With the widespread use of prescription drugs today, coupled with use of illicit drugs like marijuana and cocaine, there are raising concerns about effects these drugs cause. Use of illicit drugs causes harm to the body. Improper use of prescription drugs may also result in health complications. The time in which tests are likely to show positive for drugs is a serious issue not only for employees, employers, but also law enforcement. Many people may raise this question; how long does acid stay in your system? Prior to answering this question, you may want to know more about acid and what it is.
What is acid or LSD?
Acid is another name for lysergic acid diethylamide or LSD. Acid is an hallucinogen and is taken because of its ability to be able to change human perception as well as mood. Acid is the colloquial name for LSD or lysergic acid diethylamide. It is also given other names as lysergide. This is a recreational drug .
Acid is one of the most effective mood changing chemicals you may have today. LSD or acid is made from lysergic acid, which comes from ergot fungus. These fungus grow on grains like rye. Acid is produced in illegal laboratories in illegal form.
When the crystals are manufactured, they are converted to a liquid then distributed in that form. Acid is colorless, odorless, and possesses a slightly bitter taste. It is sold in streets in microdots or small tablets. It may also be sold in form of gelatin squares or capsules.
Sometimes, it is added to absorbent paper and made into small squares containing designs. At other times, it may be sold in liquid. Regardless of the form it is sold, the drug causes serious disconnection of an individual from reality. The users of this drug call the experience a “trip” where it lasts for about twelve hours.
The drug can be injected, inhaled, or applied on skin. While this drug is not considered physically addictive, it could result in repeated dosing and some psychotic effects.
Some factors may affect the time acid takes to stay in system
It is not easy to determine the time it will take for a drug to remain in body. People are different and a number of variables may influence the time it takes for the drug to be in body. For instance, the rate of metabolism will determine how long it takes to have acid in the body.
A fast metabolism rate means that the body breaks down drugs quickly. A person with a slower metabolism will take longer for the lysergic acid diethylamide to be released. Other factors are hydration, body mass, and frequency of use. An overweight individual might hold acid for longer in their blood. This is because the drug will be trapped in fatty tissue.
A thin person may have high metabolism, which prompts drugs to exit the system fast. When a person is hydrated, they can help flush out the drug. People who use LSD frequently may result in extended time of the drug to get out of the body. How often people use lysergic acid diethylamide may have a big difference on the way it is removed from body. Using it on regular basis will lead to lingering effects in body and can increase the amount it takes for the drug to be expelled from the system.
Does acid stay forever in body?
There may be a notion that acid or LSD stays in body forever. This perception is there because people who take the drug may experience flashbacks months after they stopped taking it. This is something expected but it occurs only to a few people.
The reality is that the flashbacks are not actually from acid in body. Acid is almost metabolized completely within one day of ingestion. Only a small amount will remain until the end of trip. This amount is released through urine and the traces may be detected for a couple of days. In a couple of weeks, the drug will be eliminated from the body. It can stay up to 3 days in the hair.
Half life and peak levels of LSD
Lysergic acid diethylamide has a half life of about 2.5 to 4 hours. When an individual has intravenous administration of LSD, the onset of the effect occurs in about 10 minutes but when it is taken orally, the effects are felt after about 20 to 30 minutes.
The peak of the effects occur at 2 to 4 hours. The effects begin to diminish and it may take about 6 to 8 hours for the effects to subside. This is the time when the drug is considered to be active in body. However, even after that period, there may be residual effects, which may take some more hours.
How long does acid stay in the urine?
Drugs are tested based on a set cutoff level. However, since LSD or acid is a recreational drug and not often tested within therapeutic ranges, it means that the cutoff concentration tends to be set at low levels. In essence, acid will be detected in urine from the time you have taken it to about 2 to 5 days.
Does acid or LSD cause addiction?
Although rare, it is possible that dependence on acid can occur. Addiction is marked by an increased tolerance to acid along with withdrawal symptoms. While tolerance for acid develops rapidly, on the other hand, it also dissipates rapidly.
After having a consecutive daily use of acid for 3 to 4 days, tolerance to its behavioral effects may develop rapidly. However, after that, the tolerance will go down to baseline if a patient has abstained for 3 to 4 days. Using LSD may not result in patterns of repetitive use when taken for prolonged time. What this means is that, although using LSD for long may cause dependence characterized by social and psychological damage, rarely are there incidents of physical dependence.
In summary, acid remains in body for a couple of days and can be detected in urine after 2 to 5 days. However, this is the concentration level that is measurable because there are low levels that cannot be picked up by the testing instruments. Therefore, you may still have the drug in body but at micro-levels and it may take up to some weeks or more for it to be released from body. Again, this will depend on the dosages you take and how frequently a person takes the drug. In case you have taken it for a long time, you will need to consider having gradual reduction of the drug to prevent any possible withdrawal symptoms.