Common Types of Drug Screening

Curious about drug screening? Read on to learn more. Drug screening is an important part of many sectors of society and often yields shocking information about substance abuse and addiction. As an example, drug and alcohol consumption is responsible for many workplace accidents. Proper drug screening is therefore necessary. Drug screening serves several purposes — to ensure workplace safety and compliance with laws, as well as health and wellness.

Types of drug screening

A drug test may look for one drug, but most tests will check for several drugs with one sample. The most common panel used to screen people for illicit drug use detects about five substances, though the type tested varies depending on the reason for the test.

Urine

The most common type would be urine drug screening (UDS), where a urine sample is collected to identify the presence of any drug or its metabolites. UDS is preferred due to its affordability, broad detection range, and non-invasiveness. It detects amphetamines, cannabinoids, and opioids. It has the advantage of fast results. However, the detection window is relatively small (three to four days for most drugs) and can be adulterated or substituted, causing sample integrity problems.

Oral fluid

Oral fluid drug screening, or saliva testing, analyzes a saliva sample for drug use. It is best used for detecting recent substance use and has a window of between two hours and several days. The method is preferred because of its rapid results and tamper-proof collection methods that minimize sample contamination. However, it does not identify all substances like urine tests and typically has a shorter detection time, so it is not suitable for all situations.

Hair follicle

Hair follicle drug screening checks a hair sample (usually from the head or body) for drug use over a period of time typically up to 90 days. This method may be used to identify chronic substance use and record drug consumption in the past. Although its long detection window offers a significant advantage, hair follicle testing is more expensive and requires somewhat more invasive collection than other screening methods.

Blood

Blood drug screening offers the most accurate result of current drug intoxication. It involves analyzing a blood sample to determine the active presence of drugs and alcohol. This method is used primarily in legal settings like DUI investigations because it is accurate. However, blood drug screening is invasive, requires healthcare professional participation in sample collection, and is not routinely used for pre-employment drug screening.

Breath

This option is used primarily to identify recent alcohol use. The result of the test (breath alcohol concentration) shows the amount of substance in the blood. The device is called a breathalyzer and will detect alcohol as long as 12 hours after usage.

What the drug test finds

After using a certain substance, the individual's gastrointestinal tract absorbs and passes it into the bloodstream. The metabolic processes performed by the liver and other organs transform the drug into various chemical substances known as metabolites. The drug as well as its metabolites leave the body primarily via the urine after a specific amount of time. For various substances, the metabolic processes take place at quite different rates.

Choosing the right drug screening test

In drug screening, picking out the right test is just as important as testing. It is about balancing legal requirements with specific goals and budget constraints. Whether it is for pre-employment screening, random testing in the workplace, post-accident investigation, or compliance with regulatory mandates, the objective determines the testing method. Also important is the legal context because drug screening is covered under federal and state law. These regulations may affect test methods, the substances screened, or the way test results are handled.

Employers should develop drug screening policies that comply with such regulations without compromising individual rights and privacy. These kinds of policies should define exactly why tests are needed, what processes are needed, and what happens in case a test is positive to guarantee transparency and fairness at work.

The bottom line

One can get a positive or a negative result depending on the threshold or reference range set. Often, more testing is necessary to confirm an initially positive result. In some cases, test administrators may impose specific rules such as avoiding urination or water intake within the hours before the test. Substance abuse is a multifaceted battle and drug screening is crucial. Selection of drug screening tests should be informed and carefully considered, especially in many organizational and healthcare settings.

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