Introduction
Drug testing is a process that uses a biological sample to evaluate the absence or presence of a drug (legal / non-legal). Drug testing is commonly done in an accredited laboratory and requires trained personnel to conduct the test for accurate results. Procedures using a strict chain of custody are critical in the testing process.
Drugs that are tests can include opioid, prescription medications and illegal drugs / substances. There are a variety of techniques used to test for these drugs. These include urine drug testing, Hair and Nail drug testing. Depending on the need to test the length of drug used, different biological media are used. Urine is the most common test used although more companies are shifting to saliva, hair and anil as biological medium used.
Overview of Drug Testing Methods
Urine Testing:
Urine drug testing is the most common drug test. The test is used most frequently to test for Opioids, Alcohol, amphetamines, cocaine and marijuana (THC). The test shows the presence or absence of a drug if the person has consumed the drug within the last 3 days. Is has been the most common method used in testing for drugs. It is a very cost-effective method to test for drugs or alcohol.
Although urine drug / alcohol testing is the most common method, there is a chance that the sample could be contaminated if there is careless handling of the sample. To ensure accuracy further specific gravity testing is conducted to validate the integrity of the test by measuring the pH and specific gravity to validate the sample validity.
SmarTest Labs conducts these tests within the governance of these processes to ensure accuracy of the samples.
The following table shows some examples of how urine tests retain drugs or alcohol. There are several other drugs that can be tested using urine and their retention periods can vary. The list below are the common drugs tested.
Examples of Drug . Alcohol Retention Periods
| Drug / Alcohol | Retention Period | |
| Cocaine | 2 – 4 days | |
| Marijuana (THC) | 2 – 3 days – Light
10 days – Medium 1 month – Heavy smokers |
Depending on how much a person smokes. |
| Opiates | About 3 days | |
| Amphetamines | 2 – 5 days |
Hair and Nail Testing:
- Hair Drug Test / Alcohol testing
Hair Follicle Drug Testing is becoming more popular with many corporate organizations, pre-employment testing requirements and court requirements. There are several reasons and benefits for this increased demand in Hair Follicle Drug Testing.
Hair has a longer retention period (about 90 days from consumption) and has a larger retrospective view of a person’s consumption of drugs or alcohol. The sampling method is non-invasive, and the storage requirements remain at room temperature and can be collected with minimal close supervision to prevent manipulation or privacy of the donor.
A substance is retained in the hair shaft and the keratin layer as the hair grows it retains the substance in the hair which grows at about 1 cm / month. The process analyzes immunoassay and mass spectrometric technology to identify drugs or alcohol in a person’s system.
- Nail Drug Testing
Nail Testing like Hair testing can test for drugs and alcohol. It has a similar wide retrospective window of detection as a hair test depending on where the nails are taken from. Fingernails can provide up to 6 months of retrospective view and toenails can provide over 12 months of retrospective view. Nail is biomarker testing is becoming more common because it provides greater accuracy in results than hair.
The keratin layer in nails is 4 times thicker than hair providing a longer retention of the drug or alcohol in a person’s system giving a higher level of accuracy in results.
Advantages of Hair and Nail Testing Over Urine Tests
Extended Detection Period:
Hair Testing:
The detection period in hair is over 90 days from the injection of the drug or alcohol. The benefit of this sample over urine is that it provides a longer retrospective ability for samples to demonstrate the absence or presence of a toxic substance in a person’s system.
Nail Testing:
Nail like hair has a long respective view of substance use. Unlike hair or urine nails retain the toxic substance or alcohol for 6 months for fingernails and 12 months of toenails. This retrospective view is critical for situations of chronic use, people relapsing into patterns of drug and alcohol use. Detection is unavoidable.
Difficulty in Evasion:
Hair and Nail sample are difficult to adulterated as they are done under the control of the collector and under strict Chain of Custody. The samples do not leave the collectors view as the hair is collected by the collector and the nails are clipped by the donor in the presence of the collector for most collections.
Unlike Urine , unless it is observed, the donor is providing the sample without the presence of the collector. It is unfortunate that there are occasions when the samples are adulterated causing either re-collection or results that show adulteration. Although this is infrequent, collecting hair and nail samples avoid the issue.
It is consequently important to have sampling administered by trained laboratory staff to minimize sample contamination. Staff are trained to look for potential contamination and methods to avoid it.
At SmarTest Labs we conduct all collection under strict Chain of Custody. We are trained to avoid contamination occurring.
Non-Invasive Collection:
Hair and Nail collection is less invasive than urine collection. It is becoming more common to conduct these tests using these samples than urine. However, the exception is for all DOT collection where urine remains the medium used. The Federal Department of Motor Carrier Safety Administration is currently viewing saliva as another option for DOT testing.
Applications in Various Sectors
Employment Screening:
Large corporate organizations like hospitals, Transportation organizations, Organization with highly sensitive jobs, pilots, criminal cases, court cases have adopted drug testing to avoid job related issues.
These organizations have avoided issues at work like conflicts due to drug use, loss of productivity and potential liability issues. Safety and productivity at work are critical to maintain the smooth flow of operations.
Legal and Forensic Use:
Forensic testing is critical to determine the need to determine reasons for poison related issues, unexpected deaths, criminal cases, probation, custody issues, and other monitoring requirements. Using Nail and hair provides a longer retrospect of chronic use in drugs and alcohol and provide a great safety net for accurate decision making.
Personal Testing:
Individuals at times conduct these tests to monitor their own well-being. Individuals trying to get to sobriety from either drug or alcohol or both, will conduct self-driven tests to improve their well-being. This is more common than is seen. It is the best method to acknowledge addiction and take steps to recover from it.
To get the best results from your tests please contact SmarTest Labs at 301-686-8566 or contact@smartestlabs.comf for guidance on the appropriate tests as tests vary with individuals or organizations. We conduct all tests confidentially and under Strict Chain of Custody.
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