What kind of drug testing do you need? Depending on the purpose of the test, there are several types of drug tests. The three most common tests are the urine test, the saliva test, and the hair test. Let's take a closer look at each of them.
Urine drug test
Urine drug testing is a method often used to detect illicit drug use, as well as to monitor prescription or over-the-counter drug use.
Very reliable and very economical, a urine drug test can detect most narcotics in a few minutes. This type of test is non-invasive and can be performed in a variety of environments, making it ideal for workplaces and schools.
The drug testing kit consists of an absorption zone which must be immersed in the urine sample. The result area for each drug will determine whether the result is positive or negative. On the other hand, the test will not give any indication of the quantity of the substance.
In addition, urine tests are relatively easy to administer and interpret, and they can be used to detect a wide range of legal and illegal drugs:
Cannabis, Marijuana, hashish...
Ecstasy
Cocaine, Crack
Morphine, Heroin, Opiates...
Amphetamines,
Alcohol
Tobacco..
The urine test is able to detect substances in the system for several days after ingestion. Designed to meet the latest trends, as new drugs appear since it is a market that is not fixed. It not only detects "classic" drugs such as cannabis or cocaine, but also all new substances that may be listed by the authorities and increasingly popular among young consumers.
The test lets you know if a person has used any of these drugs in the last few days and how much they have used. Test results can be very useful in monitoring a person's drug use. The test can also be used to identify people at risk of developing a substance abuse problem.
While urine drug tests are generally considered to be accurate, a number of factors can affect test results. For example, certain foods and beverages, as well as certain medications, can cause false positives in urine drug tests. In addition, the test can detect a substance that has been consumed in the days preceding the samples.
Depending on the type of drug and its use, the urine test can go back up to a maximum of ten days.
Saliva drug test
There are several types of drug tests, the most common being the urine test. However, for some people, the preferred method is the saliva test.
This test is less invasive than the urine test and can detect recent drug use with varying degrees of accuracy depending on the substance. For these reasons, the saliva test is becoming more and more popular, especially during roadside checks.
In addition, it is important to note that the saliva test just like the urine test are qualitative analyzes that can be done at home without the help of a laboratory analysis.
The test results are immediate and give either a positive or negative report of the substance.
The test is simple to administer, to use the drug testing kit, the donor must place the absorbent strip in their mouth and salivate on it for a few seconds. The test then starts automatically.
You can read the results 10 minutes later. The test is composed of 3 reactive strips, each detecting 1 to 2 drugs. On each strip, a red line is displayed (or not) in position 1 and 2.
When a red line appears (even faintly) next to a substance, the test is negative
If no line appears next to a drug, the test is positive for that drug
However, it is important to note that the saliva drug test is not foolproof. In some cases, false positives may occur and a very low number of drugs are available for testing: Cannabis, Cocaine and Nicotine
Drug screening blood test
Even though blood tests are more invasive and more expensive to do, they are also much more precise. Blood tests can detect drugs used within the last few hours or even depending on the types of drugs a few days.
The test can reveal precise information about the composition of the substance and the amount ingested. Also, it is very important to do the test soon after taking the substance to be sure that you have reliable drug detection.
The blood test will never be able to detect drugs that were consumed several weeks or months before the samples were taken.
The drug screening blood test is a quantitative analysis. It can therefore determine the amount of drugs present in a person's blood, but the results are not immediate. You will need to send your sample to a laboratory for an analysis of your sample.
Blood drug test kits are becoming more and more accessible, as they offer quick and easy ways to detect the presence of drugs in a person's body from anywhere. One of the most popular methods is the finger prick blood test, which can be done in the privacy of your home.
The sample is then sent to a medical laboratory for analysis. In just a few days, you will receive the test results, which will tell you whether or not drugs are present in the blood of the person concerned.
This type of test is becoming increasingly popular as it is an easy and convenient way to screen for drug use.
The hair drug test
A hair drug test is a test that analyzes a sample of your hair to see if you have used drugs in the past. The test can detect drugs that have been used in the last few months, whether taken orally, smoked or injected.
Hair drug tests are more expensive than urine drug tests, but they are also more accurate. Indeed, the hair follicles store traces of drugs for a longer period than urine. Therefore, hair drug testing can be used to get a more complete picture of an individual's drug use.
Similar to the blood drug test, the hair drug test is a quantitative test that can provide information about the amount of drugs ingested over the past three months. Unlike urine or saliva tests, hair tests can detect traces of drugs that are stored in the hair, making them an effective way to measure long-term drug use.
Additionally, hair tests are not affected by factors such as dilution or recent drug use, making it a more reliable indicator of chronic drug use.
Therefore, the hair drug test is an important tool to assess a person's history of drug use. It is interesting to note how different drugs are detectable in different parts of the body.
In blood and saliva, drugs are detectable almost immediately after consumption, but over a relatively short period that cannot exceed 2 days
In urine, most drugs are detectable over a period of 3 to 5 days on average. Cannabis is an exception to this rule, since it can be tested for 1 month in chronic users.
In the hair, on the other hand, the detection time is 3 months! Each centimeter of hair corresponds on average to 4 weeks of growth. For hair measuring at least 3 cm, the test can detect drug use over 3 months (a little less if the hair is shorter).
Detection times for different drugs vary depending on how the drug is metabolized by the body and how often it is used. However, it is interesting to note that even after a person has stopped using a drug, the drug can still be detected in their hair for 90 days.
This information is useful for people who want to test their employees for drug use, as well as for parents who want to monitor their children's drug use.