Stressed out waiting for results...

So, I don't know a whole lot about this kind of thing and was hoping that someone with more experience could calm my nerves a little, or prepare me for what is to come.

Basically, I'm an aerospace engineer, and I've been in school for the better part of the past decade. I just finished my Masters degree and got a well-paying job at a big aerospace company. Now, while in school I had this friend that smoked pot habitually, and he's like a brother to me and so I would hang out with him while he smoked... and occasionally if I didn't have any urgent projects or tests the next week I would join him; particularly after some of my more brutal final exams. But all in all I didn't partake all that much, and I stopped all-together in December when I realized that I wasn't as productive as normal for the next 4-5 days after smoking, as though I was operating at 85% mental capacity and that gradually returned to 100% over the week. And given what I do, I cannot afford to not be operating at 100%, so I decided to stay away from it.

The problem is that this company does hair follicle tests, which I wasn't aware of until I went in for the drug screening today. I didn't know very much about these tests other than the detection window is much wider than with a urinalysis. I wasn't too keen on them shaving my head, so I had them shave my arm instead. Now my understanding is that 1.5" of hair from your head is equivalent to 90 days detection, in which case I would be safe; but arm hair can go back to a year, give or take... in which case there would be some record of my having smoked. But I also heard that there is a minimum threshold that allows for some exposure. Does anyone know what this threshold is, or how lenient it is for that matter? Can anyone with more experience with these tests give me any idea as to what my chances are?

If I don't pass this test I'm pretty much screwed... I already moved to the city where the job is and without it I won't be able to pay rent...

Nobody know for sure but my personal belief is that you will be below the threshold. Due to time elapsed and relatively light use.
STIMPY21

Neruul: About now, you most likely are wishing you had some hair missing on your head! Surely, you will get more answers with more information. In the meantime, I doubt if your company is looking for past use, as much as current use. 8 months, provided you weren't doing a great deal around the holidays-most likely you may squeak by. Surely, any company wants a present user or send you to "rehab" prior to dismissal, anyway. And they know you went to college-assuming it wasn't that long ago! Everyone seems to try it (for the most part) while in college. You won't be the first or last! Good Luck to you and keep us posted! PR

thanks for the responses. Just felt that I should provide an update to my situation. I just received word today that my drug screen cleared, huge relief. I probably won't be smoking again until I am certain that they don't do random screening.

Also, for future reference, the minimum threshold is 50 ng/ml, though if there is reason to be suspicious or if it comes up positive then a more stringent test is performed which has a minimum threshold of 15 ng/ml. From what I've seen online, it seems that recreational smokers like myself usually pass the first screen just fine, but the second screen is low enough that it can catch people for frequent/prolonged 2nd hand exposure.

Thanks Neruul! Great to see you fared well! Thanks for the info and checking back in! pR