Why is Hair Follicle Drug Testing Better?

drugtest — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 08:00:40 +0000

Hair follicle drug testing is a new alternative to urine testing which is more reliable is easier to conduct. Unlike urine drug testing where the collection of the sample requires privacy and thus promotes a multitude of evasion methods. Hair follicle drug testing is much more reliable since it goes back up to 90 days depending on the test and the type of test conducted.

The only sample required is hair of the subject which is analyzed to detect evidence of drug abuse. As usual with any abuse detection test in the market, there are products which are purportedly capable of cheating the hair follicle drug testing process and returning a clean result. The more prominent among these that are doing brisk business over the internet are the so called cleansing shampoos. They only succeed in cleaning the exterior of the hair and leave the inside with trace amounts of illegal drugs as evidence.

In contrast, there are masking agents available to cheat the urine drug tests that are in wide use right now. Just the fact that in most cases the urine samples are collected in privacy enables the subject to provide a falsified or tampered sample for the test. Hair follicle drug testing is better on this front because the person in charge of the test can personally collect a sample and ensure that there will be no tampering of the sample.

Conducting a hair follicle drug test is child’s play with all those do-it-yourself drug test kits available in the market today. All you have to do is order a test over the internet and once the kit arrives, just follow the instructions on it accurately. Hair follicle drug testing works on the principle that when a drug is injected (or otherwise infused) into the blood stream which nourishes the growing hair follicles, a marginal but traceable amount of the drug is left on the hair follicle. Even after the hair follicle grows out, a trace amount of the drug is still left there which could be detected in the laboratory.

A half inch of hair sample could resolve into a 30-day history of drug abuse after being subjected to hair follicle drug testing. If the sample as 1.5 inches long, the rule of thumb dictates that up to 90 days of drug abuse history can be ascertained. People who are contemplating shaving their heads to evade the test could use the fact that body hair could also be used to test for drugs. The result of the tests is not affected by the use of bleaches or shampoos of any kind. It would be comforting to know that second hand smoke of weed is not detected in hair follicle drug testing.

Hair follicle drug testing is precise and sophisticated process, the low point being that it is also a slow process. A proper hair follicle test could take as long as 3 months before the results are returned. This obstinate delay in the availability of the result puts many people off, but the accuracy of the results and the general reliability of the method is an advantage that surely overrides any drawbacks of this process.

The amusing fact is that no matter whether you chose to agree with the credibility of hair follicle drug testing or not, this testing methodology is gaining wide opinion and devout followers. The future would see the elimination of urine drug tests in favor of this test for sure. The odds weigh in favor of the hair follicle drug tests, and for obvious reasons.

The Advantages of Workplace Saliva Drug Tests

drugtest — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:11:25 +0000

The drive for a healthier, more positive, and safer workplace is of high importance to each company or organization. The current health of the workplace tells a lot on the outlook of the company. However, the menace of drug abuse has not caught the attention of most employers. Education on workplace drug testing is not given priority. Therefore cracks and gaps that can endanger the workplace environment still occur.

Saliva drug testing

Saliva drug testing is known as an on-site drug monitoring tool. Its matrix of benefits provides a certain niche where saliva drug testing is more advantageous over the traditional urine drug tests. Saliva drug tests is gaining relevance for employers who seek efficient and current drug monitoring that employs a non-invasive approach and quick results.

The advantages of saliva drug testing over urine drug testing are multi-dimensional. First, saliva drug tests are very donor friendly as compared to urine extraction or blood sample monitoring. With a quick dash of padded sample collector, an employee can be tested quickly and without much of a hassle. Saliva drug testing is pain free and quick to administer so that employees can go about their business without missing a step.

Consequently, saliva drug testing is much more difficult to adulterate. Employees under the influence of drugs will not have the time to switch urine cups or hide in bathrooms. This is especially useful in random drug testing. As adulteration is prevented, the accuracy of these monitoring tools will increase while preventing employees to take advantage of the cracks of traditional urine drug tests.

Saliva drug testing also have quicker detection rates than urine drug testing or blood sample testing. Analysis of the results can be done on-site without the need for complex lab material. Because of this, saliva drug tests are viewed as something especially designed for quick facilitation of drug monitoring for employees.

The use of saliva as a biological sample in drug testing also gives higher correlation with traditional samples on among certain drugs. There is a higher presence of the parent drug than metabolites in saliva which gives these tests a better reading on the specific type of drug use. In addition, there is a high correlation between the drug found in saliva and the drug found in blood. As a current drug use monitoring tool, saliva has been found to be effective vehicles of cocaine during a cocaine rush.

Saliva drug testing is useful in scenarios where urine drug testing isn’t. Saliva drug testing is proven useful in detecting the drug use of automobile drivers and victims after a road accident. Saliva drug testing can also be used as a quick tool for safety-sensitive position and industries such as construction, manufacturing, and the health service sector. Ultimately, what saliva drug testing tells us is that there is a relationship between current use and the drug’s temporal effects.

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Why is Hair Follicle Drug Testing Better?

The Advantages of Workplace Saliva Drug Tests