Opiates are one of the most addicting and dangerous pharmaceutical substance there is. Although some of the opiates derivatives are used to address a few known medical conditions, opiates are generally not safe in its pure form.

Aside from the psychologically related effects of opiates, they also cause cardiac and urinary discrepancies and deviations. The effect of opiates on the cardio vascular system is generally to increase the heart rate.

For those not suffering from any cardio vascular related disease or disorder, an increase in heart rate is not something worth of concern. But for those who are suffering from cardio vascular diseases like hypertension and stroke and urinary tract infection, taking opiates is very dangerous.

The effect of opiates in the urinary system is that it corrodes the inner lining of the kidneys and other urinary system related organ like the urethra and ureters.

So how long do opiates stay in urine? Generally they stay there for 10 up to 24 hours. Depending of course on the amount of opiates taken and the number of frequency it was taken.

Basically if opiates are taken once in the last 24 hours, the kidneys will be able to filter them and excrete them by the 8h to 10th hour of that last 24 hours. That's how long do opiates stay in urine. There are also other factors that may speed up the excretion of opiates out of the body.

One common factor is fluid intake. When you drink a lot of water, the excess water will generally force out the opiates from the kidney and through the ureters down until it is outside completely of the body from the urethra.

Once outside the body, opiates are still intact as a component of urine. That is why opiates are still active in the urine for at least another 4 to 8 hours. That is why it is important that urine with opiates be disposed properly and securely.

But when urine is subjected to heat (like sunlight) for long periods, the opiate component evaporates into the air and thus rendering it inactive and out of the urine.