About Drug Testing
What Do They Test For?
* Cannabinoids (marijuana, hash)
* Cocaine (cocaine, crack, benzoylecognine)
* Amphetamines (amphetamines, methamphetamines, speed)
* Opiates (heroin, opium, codeine, morphine)
* Phencyclidine (PCP)
What Are the Types of Drug Tests?
There are four primary types of drug sample: urine, hair, saliva, and blood. Most common is the urine test which has the benefit of being inexpensive and less intrusive than the blood test.
Urine Tests
* Are the least expensive of the test methods
* Can be done at home (for example by parents)
* Detect use primarily within the past week (longer with regular use)
* Can be affected by abstaining from use for a period of time before the test
* Are often temperature tested to insure sample integrity
Hair Tests
* Are considered the least intrusive method of drug testing
* Are currently many times more expensive than urine tests
* Detects substance use over a longer period
* Do not usually detect use within the past week
* Requires a sample of hair about the diameter of a pencil and 1.5 inches long – test cannot be done with a single hair
* Test positive a little more than twice as often as a urine test
* Are not significantly affected by brief periods of abstinence from drugs
* Can sometimes be used to determine when use occured and if it has been discontinued
* Claims to be able to reliably differentiate between opiate and poppy seed use
Saliva Tests
* Can be done at home (for example by parents)
* Detect use primarily within the past week (longer with regular use)
* Can be affected by abstaining from use for a period of time before the test
Blood Tests
* Are considered the most intrusive method of testing
* Are the most expensive method of testing
* Are the most accurate method of testing
* Are the least common method of testing (most likely due to cost)