What Are the Different Types of Drug Tests?

Drug use has been an issue in America for decades. Drugs in the workplace or school can create a dangerous environment for everyone. Consequently, drug testing, in more than one form, has become more and more prevalent.

Urinalysis

• Urine drug tests are the most inexpensive, reliable method used, although most drugs are only detected if they have been ingested within 72 hours of the test. Many products, several of which are advertised all over the Internet, claim they can block the true result of a drug screen by giving a false negative.

Hair Follicle

• One of the newer drug testing methods, hair follicle testing, detects drugs ingested within the past 90 days, spanning a larger time frame than any other test available.

Saliva

• Saliva tests, usually done by swab of the mouth, detect drugs that have been ingested within 72 hours. Saliva tests, which are equally as reliable as urine, are done less frequently. This is typically due to cost of sending the specimen to a lab and the fact that eating some salivation-inducing foods may alter the results.

Blood

• According to detoxland.com, blood drug tests are less commonly used compared with urinalysis, since drugs disappear faster in the bloodstream. For example, cocaine can be detected in urine up to 72 hours after it is ingested. In blood, it must be detected within 24 hours.

Tips

• If you suspect someone is using drugs and are going to test them, kits can be purchased from your local drug store. These typically have either a dipstick that can give you instant results or an envelope that can be sent to a lab. The key to an accurate test is to screen the person when they least expect it.