Drug & Alcohol
Drug and Alcohol testing is available for a variety of purposes, including:
- Employment screens;
- Judicial and social services cases;
- Academic, institutional, and athletic program screens;
- DOT and non-DOT requirements, and
- Any industry that deals with sensitive, often personal concerns.
These tests provide assurances that personnel who are performing sensitive functions are healthy and able to do so. At the same time, we respect and rigorously protect individual privacy while collecting and appropriately sharing the samples we test. The conclusions drawn based on our testing reduce employer/superior exposure to liability as well as any adverse impacts on the organization’s cultural and moral standards.
SmarTest Labs uses various drug and alcohol testing methods to screen for drugs because each individual approach offers different benefits. We will advise you on available options and their specific benefits to ensure you choose the right test for your purpose.
Our methodologies include:
- Urine Drug Testing (instant or lab confirmation)
- Nail Drug Testing
- Saliva/Oral Fluids Drug Testing
- Hair Follicle Drug Testing
- Serum Drug Testing
SmarTest Labs applies rigorous quality standards and adheres to strict chain-of-custody requirements with every test we conduct. Our partnerships with regulated labs and Medical Review Officers facilitate evaluated testing of outcomes to ensure that each test is accurate, appropriately identified, and fully admissible in court.
At SmarTest Labs, we work collaboratively with you to ensure we understand the exact type of test you need before suggesting which test(s) to order.
Urine
Organizations of all sizes use drug testing for a variety of reasons, including human resource purposes, in legal cases and judicial hearings, in academic settings, and for personal needs.
Nail
Nail drug testing is a non-invasive and extremely accurate drug testing method for commonly used illicit drugs.
- Drug testing using toe- or fingernails is an appropriate alternative when the test subject does not have at least one inch of available hair for the hair drug test.
- Nail drug testing for drug use is beneficial because substance residues remain in nail growth for six to eight months, creating a longer window for testing than either blood or urine testing.
- Because clipping, polishing, and shaving nails do not modify the keratin layer that provides the test results, these tests are considered extremely reliable.
Hair
Hair tests are often the most popular drug tests because the drugs exist in the hair strands for between 14 and 90 days. Its reliability also makes it popular for legal and judicial purposes.
- Drugs are deposited in the hair shaft Testing is done on the hair eliminating the chance for external contamination.
- The test is affordable, and the results are available within three to five days.
- Unlike urine tests, hair testing eliminates the opportunity for individuals to compromise the results because the sample is taken within the collector’s view and not within a toilet stall’s confines.
Saliva
Saliva testing is very reliable as it tests the biologically active substances that are readily available for absorption by the body. These biologically active substances are readily available for absorption by the body. Saliva tests are also favored because collecting a sample is quick and non-invasive.
Blood
In addition to carrying oxygen and nutrients throughout the body, blood also carries evidence of organ function, drug use, and disease.
Blood Alcohol
Courts prefer the BAC test, especially in DUI cases, because it provides the most accurate blood alcohol level result.
- A BAC requires a blood draw from a medical professional specially trained to collect the blood sample.
- Blood samples are re-testable, so one draw can provide samples for several tests.