FAQ About Drug Testing

If you are looking to get a job, you may end up having to take a drug test before you get an offer of employment. Many companies are starting to test potential employees for any indication they are drug users. Understanding what these drug tests are and how they work will go a long way to easing any uncertainty you may have about them

What kinds of drug tests are there?

Drug tests come in five different varieties: urine, saliva, blood, sweat, or hair. Urine tests are the cheapest and easiest to do at home, but are considered to be invasive. Saliva tests are also pretty cheap and are less invasive, but are still unreliable. Blood and hair test are more expensive and require a lab to perform them in, but yield more accurate results, and hair tests can show drug use over a longer period of time. Finally, the sweat test requires the subject to wear a patch for a length of time and there is still some argument over their accuracy.

What is tested for?

Basic drug tests look for several drugs which might be in your system. These drugs include cannabis, cocaine, amphetamines, opiates, and PCP. More expanded tests have been used to seek out such drugs as barbiturates and alcohol.

What is a positive test?

A positive test usually means there is a certain amount of a drug in the subjects system. These levels vary depending on the drug which is being looked for. For example, a positive result for cannabis would show 15 nanograms per milliliter of volume, but cocaine shows positive at 150 nanograms per milliliter of volume. Tests which do not show these levels are generally not considered to be positive.

How far back can they look?

The length of time that can be looked back on depends on the type of test which is used. A urine test will most likely only show drug use which is just a few days old, but a hair test can look back up to 90 days.

How likely are false positives?

In the past, the likelihood of a false positive was greater than it was today. It used to be that certain foods, like poppy seeds, would trigger the test into thinking the subject had a drug in their system. However, today the tests have reached a point where they are able to pinpoint exactly what substances caused the positive. Also, while some drugs such as cocaine and heroin have been used in medical practice, these cases are rare and there will be documentation that the subject had been treated using one of these substances. It is almost impossible to fight a positive test due to the science which is used.

References

• Drug Testing
• Drug Testing Basics
• DRUG TESTING Frequently Asked Questions