Here’s what you don’t know about drug testing
There is a lot of drug testing going on. A lot of employers require new employees and employees to undergo regular drug screenings. Nonetheless, many people are unaware of how iDrugScreen drug tests work. This is what you need to know if you’d like to learn more.
The Purpose of Drug Testing?
Any method that can detect current or previous drug use is considered a drug test. A sample of hair or urine is usually collected from participants’ bodies. Testing then involves looking for specific chemicals or substances associated with a particular drug. When you detect those substances, you are considered positive. Depending on the test used and the substance tested, the accuracy of drug tests varies. Testing for marijuana, for example, is common and, as such, is quite accurate. In the case of new street drugs, tests are not usually available. The following are some of the most commonly used tests by government agencies, employers, and sports agencies.
Why Is Hair Follicle Testing Important?
It is common for employers to conduct hair drug tests. To determine whether a person has used drugs during a certain period, a sample of hair is collected. On average, around 100 hairs are collected and trimmed, ensuring they are trimmed as closely as possible to the scalp. We then send the one-and-a-half inches that are closest to the scalp to a lab for analysis.
ELISA and GC-MS tests are performed on the hairs at the lab where they undergo two tests: ELISA and GC-MS. Through the hair drug test, it is possible to find out if the person has utilized any class of substances in the past 90 days.
Urinalysis: What Is It?
Urinalysis, or urine drug testing, determines whether a person has been taking drugs recently. In a urine sample, a number of substances can be identified using urine analysis.
Most commonly, immunoassay tests (IA) are used. In addition to urine screening, there is a technique called GC-MS, which is more reliable and can detect a broader range of substances.
When urine is screened, the detection window is much shorter than when hair is screened. Amphetamines, for example, can only be detected in urine for up to three days, but can be detected in hair up to 90 days old. In most cases, urine is not detectable for more than 90 days except for THC in heavy users.
Even though it has a shorter window, urinalysis is more frequently used in sports and law enforcement because it is more accurate. Hair drug testing is not currently supported by the federal government, but this may change in the future.
What Is the Reason for Sometimes Inaccurate Testing?
A drug test is generally considered to be accurate. It may, however, result in incorrect results under certain circumstances.
When you inhale secondhand marijuana smoke, your THC level may rise if you spend a long time near it. As a result, it is uncommon, since it usually only happens right after exposure. In addition, some CBD oil products are infused with traces of THC. It is possible to test positive for THC if you consume significant amounts of CBD. It is also possible to incorrectly flag effavirenz – an antiviral drug used for treating HIV.
A positive amphetamine drug test may result from certain weight loss pills, particularly those containing phentermine. The antihistamine diphenhydramine – contained in Benadryl and other antihistamines – can sometimes appear on a drug test as methadone or PCP.
The type of your hair can also impact the results of hair drug tests. Bleached or damaged hair may result in an unreadable test result; hair with more melanin may present a false positive.
False positive results can also occur with many prescription medications used for mental health disorders. This includes some antipsychotic drugs prescribed for the treatment of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, including quetiapine and chlorpromazine.
