Drug tests: what are you going to do when they come for you?

Drug testing has become a very common practice in our current society. There are several reasons for this increase. First, the tests themselves have become relatively easy to perform. They often require only a urine test strip. More complex confirmatory tests are available at any number of laboratories at very reasonable prices. A second reason is the parallel goals of employers and industries to rule out drug addicts before considering employment, and to maintain post-surveillance through subsequent random testing. The Government has mandated certain workplace safety requirements, and drug abuse is considered to have a negative impact on the safety of this workplace. The goal of employers is to have a drug-free work environment. It is common practice for Workman Compensation to require drug testing before benefits are awarded after a workplace injury. In specialized jobs, such as driving a truck or bus, DOT will require a drug test at the time of each physical examination.

A second relatively frequent use of drug screening is in the medical setting. Tests are often ordered after emergency presentations for trauma treatment, especially when it comes to teens and teens. A doctor who follows a patient to control pain can order drug tests to look for illicit drugs and even to see if the patient is taking the prescribed medication. When following a patient for drug rehab, it is often considered necessary to screen for drugs at the initial visit and randomly afterward. Interestingly, the American Academy of Pediatrics has issued a policy statement against home drug testing by parents or random testing by schools until more strenuous research is done. Pediatricians believe that there is a greater chance of worsening parent-child or teacher-child relationships than obtaining useful information for drug use intervention. Finally, drug tests can be commonly used in forensic medicine and pathology to determine possible causes of death. https://www.drugidkits.co.uk/

A third overlapping use of drug testing is in law enforcement. After an accident, drug tests are commonly ordered to determine if drugs can be a causal factor. People on drug-related probation may have to send a urine sample for testing at each visit. When it comes to parents' physical fitness, juvenile defense agencies may require drug testing to determine visitation and custody problems. Again, court-ordered drug rehab may require a random drug screen for continued participation versus punitive action.

A fourth area of drug testing is in academic and professional sports. There is more emphasis on the use of drugs that improve production ("doping"), but stimulants and other drugs of abuse are also a concern. The Olympic Games institute the most demanding drug tests, which each participant requires before the games, and then again the individual winners of the events.

Another area of drug testing is the insurance industry. When a company calculates the risks and insurability of an individual, drug testing can provide very useful information. They often check for urinary nicotinine, a nicotine metabolite, to see if a potential customer is actually a former smoker. A person who abuses drugs at any level is not a good insurance risk.

Basically there are five biological sources for drug testing. They are hair, saliva, sweat, blood and urine. Urine is the best biological specimen for this purpose, with the possible exception of alcohol tests on hair samples. Certain ester fats that deposit on hair with alcohol consumption are testable for up to eighteen months. Blood is not considered as good a sample because it requires an invasive procedure and the drugs are not concentrated to the same degree as in the urine.