Drugs

Pros And Cons Of Different

Types Of Drug Tests

by Art Gib

in Health

(submitted 2009-12-01)

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There are many types of drug tests, but which one is the best? Let's review the pros and cons of each drug test.

The first type of drug test, and the most commonly used, is the urine drug screen. A urine drug screen is often used in pre-employment drug testing and random drug testing. The pros of this type of test is that it is less expensive than other types, it is non-invasive, it can be tested for a variety of illegal drugs, and most drugs show up in urine within hours of ingestion. The greatest downfall of urine testing is that it can be easily manipulated; therefore, the results cannot always be trusted. Also, because drugs must first be metabolized before they can be detected in urine, an individual who is presently using drugs may still end up with a negative drug test result.

Another type of drug testing is done with a saliva sample. A saliva test is also fairly inexpensive, and because it is nearly impossible to manipulate, a much more reliable method of detecting drug use by an individual. It is very likely that a saliva drug test will completely replace urine testing. The pros are, as mentioned previously, reliability, lower cost, and non-invasiveness. However, it is difficult to detect the presence of certain drugs in a saliva test, specifically, THC and benzodiazepines.

Drug testing using hair samples reveals a wider window of drug use. Drugs metabolized in the body show up in the hair shaft for up to 90 days A small sample of hair, between 90 and 120 strands, is needed for the test, and the results are not affected by shampoo or any other means of manipulation. The hair sample can come from almost anywhere on the body, including arms, legs, and pubic area. The downsides of hair testing is that it takes longer for drugs to show up in the hair than it does in urine, blood, or saliva; it is more expensive than urine and saliva testing; and you must have a lab for results.

A lesser-known type of drug testing is a sweat test. The individual being tested must wear a patch for a prescribed period of time, usually ten days to two weeks. The patch absorbs sweat and, upon removal by a professional, is sent to a lab to be tested for drugs used during the time the patch was worn. The patch has security features that prevent it from being removed and replaced at the end of the test period. Sweat testing is non-invasive and impossible to manipulate. However, some drugs cannot be detected through sweat.

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