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Drug Test Types

Detox Advisor — Mon, 05 May 2008 22:07:18 +0000

The drug test types reviewed in the following article focus on tests that deliver a quantitative result. Those are the tests that give an employer the most valuable information. The following article does not touch on tests that make use of thin layer chromatography. During that test, the tested substance moves over a solid. The distance of that movement is then compared to the distance moved by a standard. Thin chromatography allows the employer to learn whether or not some drug is in an employee’s system, but it does not reveal exactly how much of that drug is in his or her system.

Drug testing requires the possession of a testable substance. That substance should come from a part of the body that is known to hold the drug of interest. A hair drug test can uncover evidence of drug use in the past, as well as recent drug use. Any drug metabolite in the blood will eventually travel to the head, where it has chance to remain in the hair shaft.

Yet a drug test does not always seek to uncover proof of drug use in the past. For that reason, the hair drug test is not the most favored of the various drug test types. Asked to choose one type of drug test, an employer usually selects the urine drug test. That is the least expensive type of drug test.

The savings that come from the decision to use a urine drug test reduce the ability of the employer to feel confident about the test results. The blood test is the most sensitive drug test. Unfortunately, it is also the most expensive type of drug test.

The hair drug test, the blood drug test and the urine drug test all demand a bit of pre-planning on the part of the employer. Those three tests need to take place at a scheduled time. The saliva drug test can be a spur-of-the-moment test. The can saliva offer proof that an employee has recently used alcohol, marijuana, meth or cocaine.

A drug test can be categorized according to the substance that is tested. A list of drug test types can also offer details on the methodology used in the testing process. An initial drug test is usually an immunoassay. The test kit has been designed to facilitate the binding of antibodies and a drug (or metabolites of that drug).

The cheapest type of immunoassay makes use of enzymes. It is called the enzyme multiplied technique. While simple and cheap, that type of test can not be counted on to deliver reliable results.

The military has the resources for performance of radioimmunoassay techniques. The reading from an immunoassay is taken by a machine that can detect radiation. A radioisotope competes with the drug, as a substance that can bind to a particular antibody. Fluorescence polarization forms the basis for the most frequently used of the immunoassay techniques. When a drug test includes use of fluorescence polarization, then selected antibodies display their affinity for a drug, or its metabolites.

If any of the above-mentioned drug test types yield a positive result, an employer normally calls for a confirmatory finding. The confirmatory test is done using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The gas chromatograph separates the components in the tested substance. The spectroscopy looks for tell-tale signs that a drug of interest (or its metabolite) is present in any of those separate components.

Drug Testing Laws

Detox Advisor — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 14:08:20 +0000

Drug testing laws have become a particular point of interest in recent months with increased celebrities’ bouts of trouble with the law bringing attention to the subject, But beyond the topic of shaved heads, DUIs, and rehab stints comes the question of legality. Are these tests legal and are they accurate? It might all depend on where you reside and what your circumstances are.

With more media attention than ever being drawn to ill-fated celebrities who have DUI mishaps and drug related issues, it might be interesting to know what all of the hype is concerning the drug testing laws. And yes, alcohol would fall under drug testing laws since in most states consent for a breath test must be given. What are drug testing laws, and how does a drug test work? Are drug tests reliable in detecting what they are supposed to detect? When are drug tests necessary?

Depending on the state, each one has its own version of what amount of alcohol can consider a person to be legally intoxicated, and of course personal variables like a person’s size can help make this even more difficult to determine. Drugs are something that are not so tangible: if they are in your system, you are intoxicated and in violation of the law. Drug tests of several different types can be used to determine your intoxication [or innocence] and then what happens from there is dependent upon the state.

For alcohol, most tests are administered via breath but a blood test is another possibility. For drugs, tests can be done that examine samples of blood, hair, urine, or skin. Depending upon what is being examined, such as hair, traces of drug residue may be present from months past. But what is the legality of these tests, and does one have to submit to taking one of them?

If it is a situation involving employment, operating a motor vehicle, or child custody, one can in most cases be legally forced to take a drug test. The grounds for this is that you are voluntarily seeking out a job, making a choice to operate a motor vehicle or other dangerous piece of equipment which could endanger the lives of others or yourself, or in the case of child custody, you are responsible for minor children and must prove to be fit to take care of them. These are all considered voluntary responsibilities and a drug test is proof that one is willing to undergo these obligations. Drug testing laws do have some loopholes, as do employment contracts, that may allow a person to legally escape having to take a drug test.

Under drug testing laws, an employer can have legal cause to fire or deny a promotion to someone who fails a drug test or refuses to submit to one, and a potential employer may refuse to hire someone who is not willing to submit to a drug test. Certain stipulations may be involved, such as operation of dangerous equipment, to make these laws valid, but the basic facts come down to an employer may ask for a drug test and though an employee or potential employee has the right to refuse, to do so means almost certain career death. You may not be guilty of anything, but you are certainly regarded as such if you refuse to submit to a test, though refusal is one’s right. It is controversial right now and will continue to be until more court cases set a precedent over what should be done.

Student Drug Testing Information And Your Child

Detox Advisor — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 14:08:21 +0000

In this day and age, it is pretty clear that drugs are out there, and it is easy for kids to get a hold of some if they want it. The bad thing is that drugs are no longer just found out on the streets, they can be found in your local school systems as well. However, there are different schools that do yearly drug tests on the students of that school. This is a good way to help keep kids off of drugs, and also inform the parents if their child is on drugs of any kind. This is the first big step to help keep our kids drug free, and keep our school system free from drugs as well.

Kids are able to get their hands on drugs a lot easier today than they used to a long time ago. Because of this fact, we are starting to see drugs pop up in locations that it should not, like our local school systems. This should be one place where your child can go where they do not have to worry about being confronted with drugs, however, that is not the case anymore. The good news is that many different schools are taking the right steps to help discourage kids from using drugs. In fact, in many schools across the United States of America, yearly drug tests are given on untold days to randomly screen for drugs. Because drugs stay in the system for a long time, it is hard for students to just not take any drugs before the drug test, because they are never sure when it is going to be. Because of the fear of the drug testing, this helps keep many kids from trying drugs in the first place. That makes just one less thing they have to worry about.

Another thing that helps keep the kids from taking drugs is so that their parents do not find out. If any drugs are found in your system, the school contacts your parents and lets them know. Most parents would frown on their children taking drugs, and this is another step in helping keep your kids drug free. It is hard for parents to help stop their kids from taking drugs if they do not know they are taking any. Thus, this is a way that the schools are helping keep the parents in the loop of what is going on. This also helps the cops find out what kind of drugs are most popular in that city. All over the world there are different drugs that get used more often in one area, and less often in another area. If cops can find out what kind of drugs the kids are able to get their hands on the most, they know what kind of drugs they should be keeping their eye on.

Drug tests are being used by a lot of people nowadays. We use to only here about cops and businesses giving drug tests, but now these kinds of tests are popping up in schools. I know that it sounds like something that does not need to happen, but you would be blown away by the number of kids in school that say they have tried drugs. To help these kids grow up into young adults, we need to be able to help directed them away from the use of drugs. However, it is hard for cops and parents to be able to do that alone. Now with the school systems help, we are one step closer to weeding out the use of drugs in our school systems.

How Long Do Drugs Stay In The Body?

Detox Advisor — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 12:42:57 +0000

Drug Detection Times refer to the “window” of detection for drugs of abuse. If a person is tested too soon or too long after use, drugs may not show up in human urine. Often someone will ask us, How long to drugs stay in the body? This short guide will help to answer that question. For the purposes of clarity, this guide is a reference for the detection of drugs of abuse found in human urine.

How long do drugs stay in your system? The length of time that the presence of drugs of abuse in the body can be detected is an important factor in drug screening. The chart below outlines approximate duration times. When interpreting the duration for the presence of drugs of abuse in the body, you must take into consideration variables including the body’s metabolism, the subjects physical condition, overall body fluid balance, state of hydration and frequency of usage.

Drug Detection Times in urine are expressed below in terms of lower and upper boundaries. The amount of time that a drug/metabolite remains detectable in urine can vary, depending on the following factors:

Amount and Frequency of Use: Single, isolated, small doses are generally detectable at the lower boundary. Chronic and long-term use typically result in detection periods near or at the upper boundary.
Age: In general, human metabolism slows with age, resulting in longer drug detection periods.
Body Mass: In general, human metabolism slows with increased body mass, resulting in longer drug detection periods. In addition, THC (the active ingredient in marijuana) and PCP are known to accumulate in fatty lipid tissue. Chronic users, physically inactive users, and individuals with a high percentage of body fat in relation to total body mass are prone to longer drug detection periods for THC and PCP.
Metabolic Rate: Individuals with slower body metabolism are prone to longer drug detection periods.
Drug Tolerance: Users typically metabolize a drug faster once a tolerance to the drug is established.
Overall Health: In general, human metabolism slows during periods of deteriorating health, resulting in longer drug detection periods.
Urine pH: Urine pH can impact drug detection periods. Typically, highly acidic urine results in shorter drug detection periods.
Note: In a small percentage of cases, users may test positive longer than times shown – most notably in cases of long-term chronic abuse, in individuals with significant body mass and/or body fat, and in individuals with health related issues resulting in abnormally slow body metabolism…

Drug Detection Times in Urine

Alcohol 24 hours or less
Amphetamines 1 to 4 days
Barbiturates Short-acting: 1 to 3 days

Long-acting: 1 to 3 weeks

Benzodiazepines Short-term Therapeutic Use: 1 to 3 days

Long-term / Chronic Use: 1 to 3 weeks

Cocaine 1 to 5 days
LSD 1 to 2 days
Marijuana (THC) Casual Use: 1 to 7 days

Long-Term / Chronic Use: 1 to 4 weeks Note: THC, the primary active ingredient in marijuana, is stored by the body in fatty lipid tissue. From there, it is slowly released into the bloodstream for up to several weeks – depending on the amount and frequency of use and the user’s level of physical activity.

In chronic and physically inactive users, THC may accumulate in fatty tissues faster than it can be eliminated. This accumulation leads to longer detection periods for these individuals. Also, users with a high percentage of body fat in relation to total body mass are prone to longer drug detection periods for THC.

MDMA (Ecstasy) 1 to 4 days
Methadone 1 to 4 days
Methamphetamines 1 to 4 days
Opiates 1 to 5 days
PCP (Phencyclidine) Casual Use: 1 to 7 days

Long-Term / Chronic Use: 1 to 4 weeks Note: PCP is stored by the body in fatty lipid tissue. From there, it is slowly released into the bloodstream for up to several weeks – depending on the amount and frequency of use and the user’s level of physical activity. In chronic and physically inactive users, PCP may accumulate in fatty tissues faster than it can be eliminated. This accumulation leads to longer detection periods for these individuals. Also, users with a high percentage of body fat in relation to total body mass are prone to longer drug detection periods for PCP.

For complete information on Drug Testing, visit DrugTestingResource.com

Article Source: EzineArticles.com expert – Steve Sandlin

Your Drug Test Results.com

Detox Advisor — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 20:20:50 +0000

http://www.yourdrugtestresults.com/

Tests at YourDrugTestResults.com

Drug testing in the United States basically began in the late 1980’s with the testing of certain federal employees and specified DOT regulated occupations. Drug testing guidelines and processes, in these areas exclusively, are established and regulated (by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, formerly under the direction of the National Institute on Drug Abuse or NIDA) require that companies who use professional drivers, specified safety sensitive transportation and/or oil and gas related occupations, and certain federal employers, test them for the presence of certain drugs. These test classes were established decades ago, and include five specific drug groups. They do not account for current drug usage patterns. For example, the tests do not include “synthetic opiates”, such as oxycodone, oxymorphone, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, etc., compounds that are highly abused in America:

Amphetamines (amphetamines, methamphetamine, speed)
Cannabinoids (marijuana, hashish)
Cocaine (cocaine, crack, benzoylecognine)
Opiates (heroin, opium, codeine, morphine)
Phencyclidine (PCP)

Drug Testing Kits:

While SAMHSA/NIDA guidelines only allow labs to report quantitative results for the “NIDA-5″ on their official NIDA tests, many drug testing labs and on-site tests also offer a wider or “more appropriate” set of drug screens which are more reflective of current drug abuse patterns. As noted above, these tests include synthetic pain killers such as Oxycodone, Oxymorphone, Hydrocodone, Hydromorphone, benzodiazepines (Valium, Xanax, Klonopin, Restoril) and barbiturates in other drug panels (a “panel” is a predetermined list of tests to run). The confirmation test (usually GCMS) can tell the difference between methamphetamine and ecstasy, and in the absence of detectable amounts of methamphetamine in the sample, the lab will either report the sample as negative or report it as positive for MDMA…

One in 100 Drivers Found Taking Drugs

Detox Advisor — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 12:42:57 +0000

One in 100 of the drivers tested by Victoria Police’s world-first drug bus has returned a positive result for driving while under the influence of drugs, The Sunday Age believes.

This is 2 times the rate for drivers returning a positive result for driving while under the influence of alcohol when breath tested.

Police had planned to announce the staggering results for the drug bus last week, but delayed doing so because of the Bracks Government’s ministerial reshuffle, which saw Tim Holding elevated to the Police Minister’s portfolio and Andre Haermeyer relegated to Manufacturing, Export and Small Business.

The announcement, now expected to be made within days, is likely to show that more than one in every 100 drivers drug tested by police returned a positive result after laboratory analysis.

The yearly average strike rate for motorists caught drink-driving is about one in every 250 tested.

In one operation alone, targeting the Summerdayze dance festival on January 1, police sources said almost one in 10 drivers tested returned initial positive results.

Sources have told The Sunday Age that about 1500 motorists have already been tested under the drug-driving testing program, with more than 15 returning positive laboratory results.

In 2003, almost a third of drivers killed on Victoria’s roads had drugs other than alcohol in their system, and in a number of recent years, more people have been killed with drugs other than alcohol in their system than those killed with a blood-alcohol reading above .05.

Since the introduction of random roadside drug testing in Victoria on December 13, a number of drivers had already been issued with penalty notices for a first drug-driving offence.

If a driver returns a positive result from a roadside drug test, he or she is then taken to the police bus for a second test. A second positive result is then sent to a laboratory for testing, which can take up to 14 days. Only after a positive laboratory result is a driver prosecuted for a drug-driving offence…

Full Story at TheAge.com.au