Did you know that morphine was the first substance in history to be recognized for its “addictive” potential?
Morphine was first used to induce deep sleep and pain relief. Today it remains an effective treatment option for managing severe pain, though its role in the opioid crisis raises questions about safe use, dependency, and access to treatment. Taking too much morphine can lead to dangerous effects, including respiratory depression, overdose, and death. In Phoenix in 2022, 1,023 people died from overdoses, with the majority coming from opioids like morphine.
Not only can morphine result in serious complications, but also it can have dangerous effects when combined with other substances like benzodiazepines or alcohol. This Is why it’s important to understand the answer to, “How long does morphine stay in your system?” Wolf Creek Recovery shares information on morphine detection times in blood, urine, hair, and saliva so that you know what to expect. Let’s explore.
How Long Does Morphine Stay in Your System?
The amount of time morphine stays in your system depends on several factors. The most influential are the dose, frequency of use, type of formulation (immediate-release vs. extended-release), and your individual biology. People who are young, in good health, and have fast metabolisms typically clear morphine from the body faster than those who are older and have compromised health and slower metabolisms.
Morphine generally wears off in 4-6 hours, though it can be detectable in your body for longer, as it takes time for the substance to fully leave the system. Let’s look at morphine metabolism so that you can better understand why traces are detectable for several days, even though you may no longer feel the effects.
Morphine Duration and Half-Life
Every substance has a half-life. This refers to the time it takes for half the substance to be eliminated from the body. For immediate-release morphine, the half-life is around 2-4 hours, with pain relief lasting 4-6 hours. Extended-release versions have a longer half-life, with effects lasting up to 12 hours or more, depending on the dose and the individual. Morphine and its metabolites can stick around longer, though, meaning the substance will remain in your system and be detectable for several days.
Breaking Down Morphine: How the Body Processes This Powerful Opioid
Morphine can be taken orally, intravenously, or otherwise. Regardless of the route of administration, it’s rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream and transported to the liver. There, it undergoes a process called hepatic metabolism, where liver enzymes convert morphine into two major metabolites: morphine-3-glucuronide and morphine-6-glucuronide. These metabolites are then filtered by the kidneys and excreted in the urine. Because of this, individuals with poor liver or kidney function may process morphine more slowly.
Morphine in the Body: How Long Does It Really Last?
It’s important to know how long morphine stays in the system for several key reasons, including safety and dosing, treatment planning, managing side effects, and avoiding withdrawal or return to use. However, most people who look for this information want to know for drug testing purposes. Knowing how long morphine hangs out in the body can help you set expectations around drug screening results. However, the type of test can make a huge difference in the results you receive.
Urine Testing for Morphine
Morphine is typically detectable in urine for 2-3 days from the last use in people who use the substance occasionally. At higher or more frequent doses, morphine can show up in urine for 5-7 days or more. Urine is one of the most common testing methods for detecting morphine, as it’s processed in the liver and excreted through the kidneys.
Blood Testing for Morphine
In blood, morphine is usually detectable for up to 12 hours after a single dose. Various factors can affect this window, including whether the morphine was taken in an immediate-release or extended-release version. Blood testing is less common for routine drug screening, but it can be valuable for clinical or emergency settings to detect recent use, monitor therapeutic levels, or treat a potential overdose.
Hair Testing for Morphine
No other testing method offers the long detection window that hair does. Morphine can be detected in hair samples for 90 days or longer. Hair testing provides a long detection window because of morphine’s metabolites that are deposited into hair follicles through the bloodstream and remain trapped as the hair grows. While effective, hair testing is generally only used in forensic or legal investigations to determine long-term use.
Saliva Testing for Morphine
Morphine typically stays in saliva for 1-4 days from the last use. Saliva testing is a convenient and non-invasive way to detect recent morphine use, especially in workplace or roadside screenings. Since it has a rather short detection window, it’s most useful for capturing recent use instead of long-term patterns.
Factors That Affect How Long Morphine Stays in Your System
While morphine does have general estimates on how long it remains in the human body, it is not the same for everyone. The duration it stays in the system varies from person to person. This is why we rely on general estimates instead of exact numbers. Let’s look closer at the elements that can cause morphine to stay in your body shorter or longer.
Dosage and Frequency of Use
When you use morphine for a longer period of time and/or in higher doses, it can accumulate in the body and take longer to get rid of. Therefore, dosage and frequency of use are two main factors that influence how long morphine stays in the body. The single use of morphine typically won’t build up in the body in the same way that repeated doses will, leading to faster elimination times and shorter detection windows.
Individual Factors
Your physiology also plays a significant role in how quickly it eliminates morphine from the body. As you can imagine, people with faster metabolic rates typically process and eliminate morphine more quickly than those with slower metabolisms. How can you tell if you have a fast metabolism? Signs to watch for include trouble gaining weight, feeling hungry often, and having higher energy levels.
It’s not just metabolism that makes a difference, though. Your age and body composition also play a role. Older adults and those with higher body fat percentages tend to clear morphine from the body slower becuase the substance has the chance to build up in fatty tissues. Additionally, since the liver metabolizes morphine and the kidneys excrete it, an impairment in these organs can cause delays in clearance.
Ingestion Method
The method of morphine—oral, intravenous, intramuscular, or subcutaneous—can also affect how quickly the substance is absorbed, how long it stays active, and how long it is detectable in the body. For instance, when morphine is injected directly in the bloodstream, it takes effect almost immediately and is also cleared more quickly. While intramuscular or subcutaneous injection methods have slower onsets than IV, they have longer-lasting effects, which can extend the detection window.
Morphine taken orally has a slower onset of action compared to the others since it has to pass through the digestive system and liver before entering the bloodstream. Therefore, you can expect slower absorption, a longer time to feel the effects, and slight increases in how long the substance remains in the body, especially with extended release formulations. Detection windows for suppositories are similar to oral ingestion, though with a faster onset.
Where to Find Morphine Treatment Near You in Prescott, Arizona
If you or a loved one is experiencing morphine dependence, it’s important to know where to find morphine addiction rehab. As an opioid, morphine can be just as dangerous as illicit opioids like fentanyl or heroin. If you take too much of the substance, it can cause respiratory depression, overdose, and death. Therefore, getting help before the problem escalates is crucial.
Fortunately, you can access morphine treatment through detox centers, residential facilities, and intensive outpatient centers. Depending on the scope of services offered, you may be able to complete all of your treatment under one roof. Another option is to go through detox and then transition to a recovery program of your choice.
As far as what morphine treatment entails, you can expect comprehensive care that includes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), group therapy, family counseling, and medication-assisted treatment (MAT). Seeking professional help improves the chances of a successful recovery and ensures safety and support throughout the process. Ongoing support and healthy lifestyle choices will also help maintain recovery and prevent you from returning to morphine.
At Wolf Creek Recovery, we believe that healing from substance use is possible with the right support, compassion, and clinical care. Our team is committed to walking alongside you every step of the way. We offer personalized treatment plans, evidence-based therapies, and a strong foundation for lasting recovery. We also give clients the opportunity to spend time outdoors connecting with nature, which can be a powerful boost to the healing process. To learn more about our programs, contact us today at 833-732-8202. Build a life you love.
