Hair Drug Test Vs. Other Drug Tests
Monday, January 18th, 2010A drug test is usually conducted by most institutions to be able to detect drug dependence of a person. Most companies require drug testing as part of the screening process for new employees; it is a must when obtaining a driver’s license; some universities require drug testing before admitting students; police investigations use drug testing in solving cases; custody battles are sometimes concluded by a result of a simple drug test. These, among others, are some situations where drug testing is very helpful.
There are many ways of doing a drug test. The most common way of doing a drug test is through a urine drug test. A sample of urine is tested for traces of illegal drugs. There is also the blood drug test where a blood sample is examined for drugs and the actual amount of drugs in the body during the time the test is made is detected. Another method is the saliva (oral) drug test. This method detects recent drug use and is useful for on-site drug testing and samples are difficult to adulterate since samples can be easily obtained with supervision. However, the accuracy of such method is being questioned by some experts. Another method is the spray (sweat) drug test. Samples are also easily obtained but are prone to contamination. Another disadvantage would be the different sweat production rates of the individuals being tested.
All of the methods mentioned above can detect current drug use or up to the very recent past. These methods can be used whenever applicable. However, when drug use history is needed, an effective method to use would be the hair drug test. In a hair drug test, a hair sample is tested for traces of drugs. Being bald won’t be an excuse for not being able to go through a hair drug test since hairs from any part of the body can be used as samples.
Of all the drug test methods available, hair drug testing is considered as the most accurate since hair samples cannot be adulterated. Not only that, drug use history can be detected for a period of up to 90 days or more. This test is useful in investigations where the person involved is accused of drug dependence or in instances where zero drug tolerance screening is necessary.
The hair drug test method can be used to distinguish between a one-time user and an abusive user. Although this test needs to be conducted in a laboratory and would generally cost more than urine drug testing, the accuracy as well as the drug use history that can be obtained by hair drug testing is an advantage that makes it worth it.
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