By Edmund Murphy

Last updated: 04 April 2024 & medically reviewed by Dr. Kimberly Langdon

Codeine is a form of prescription opioid painkiller that is used to treat those suffering from mild to moderate pain. Codeine can be traced in urine, blood, hair, and saliva drug tests. Read below to see how long this drug stays in your system.

Key takeaways:

  • Codeine is detectable in urine for up to 3 days after taking the drug.

  • While codeine opioid metabolites will be detectable in both regular codeine consumption and lean, the overall detection time of lean may be slightly different.

  • This is due to the different combinations of substances contained in lean and how they interact with the body.

How long is Codeine detectable in your system?

The length of time codeine is detectable in the system varies depending on a variety of factors, including body mass index (BMI), how long the drug has been taken for, in what dosage, age of user, and gender. It also changes depending on which of the four main types of identifying test is used. These are urine testing, blood testing, hair follicle testing, and saliva testing. The length of time codeine is identifiable in each test is as below. Read here for more info on drug tests and when you may be required to take one.

Test type

Time period

Urine

Up to 3 days

Blood

Up to 24 hours

Hair

Up to 90 days

Saliva

Up to 4 days

Factors that affect codeine detection times

There are many factors that can influence the detection rate in a toxicology test and these can vary from person to person. For instance, someone with a long history of opioid abuse, or someone who uses codeine in large quantities will have detectable opioid metabolites in their system for longer than someone who hasn’t. The same is also true if someone abuses multiple drugs or combines them with alcohol regularly. 

Other factors that influence crack cocaine detection rates include:

  • Body mass index (BMI)
  • Gender
  • Age
  • Pre-existing medical conditions (especially those involving the liver or kidneys)

Does lean stay in the system for the same amount of time as codeine?

While codeine opioid metabolites will be detectable in both regular codeine consumption and lean, the overall detection time of lean may be slightly different. 

This is due to the different combinations of substances contained in lean and how they interact with the body. For example, if a lean drink combination contains a high level of alcohol, it can affect how the liver processes the toxins in the body and how long it will take to metabolize codeine. This makes it almost impossible to say how long lean will stay in any individual's system.