How Do Drug Tests Work?
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What is a Drug Test?
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A drug test is typically an examination of blood, urine or hair that determines whether someone has been or is currently under the influence of a specific substance, specifically illegal substances. The most often administered drug tests include tests for alcohol, marijuana, heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, morphine, opiates, LSD and PCP. Depending on the individual drug and the method of testing, drug use of up to 30 days can be detected. Marijuana can stay in the system the longest, provided you have been smoking it every day up to a month before taking the test.
Why Do I Need to Take a Drug Test?
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You may need to take a drug test in order to be hired at a corporation or business. If you are a professional driver in the United States, you must take a drug test by order of SAMHSA, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. You may have to take a test against some drugs like cocaine and heroin, but you may not necessarily have to take a test for oxycodone or other opioids. It is up to the employer as to what test to administer. You may refuse to be tested, but you will have a decreased chance of getting the job. You may also have to take a drug test if a family member suspects you of drug abuse, or if you are on probation. Although there are ways to pass a drug test while still being on drugs, it usually involves drinking vast amounts of water and is not healthy for the body.
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How Drug Tests Work
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Urine drug testing, the most administered type of drug test, is usually given at a collection site. After the urine is collected, it is separated into two parts. The first part is tested biochemically, by measuring the antibodies found in the urine. The antibodies of normal urine are compared against the urine being tested. The second part of the urine is detected with gas-liquid chromatography, which detects the purity of the urine by turning the liquid into a gas. If these tests are negative and nothing is found, the drug test has been passed. If the tests are positive, there may be a cause for concern. Urine testing is not very accurate, despite it being the most frequently administered drug test. Ingested substances that can cause false positives include hempseed oil, ibuprofen, prickly and blue lettuce, poppy seeds, cough medicine, acetaminophen and nasal sprays.
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