Many jobs require passing drug tests, such as those for the Department of Transportation (DOT). Those who operate airplanes, trains, and other forms of commercial transportation take five-panel drug tests looking for phencyclidines (PCP), tetrahydrocannabinol (marijuana, THC), opioids (OPI), cocaine (COC), and amphetamines (AMP), with many other drug-free workplace programs (DFWP) requiring similar tests. Here, review the types of drug tests issued by employers, as well as state courts for child custody purposes and other legal issues.

What Are The Different Types Of Drug Tests?

1. Urine

The most common drug and alcohol test, urine samples show whether opiates, methamphetamines, amphetamines, tetrahydrocannabinols, cocaine, and phencyclidines are present. They require the patient to provide a sample within a private restroom and use a special cup that indicates the fluid’s temperature to help avoid sample switching.

2. Hair

Hair testing shows repeated drug use within a 90-day timeframe, which eliminates false negatives from abstinence and increased fluid intake. The tests show cocaine, opiate, amphetamine, methamphetamine, ecstasy, and marijuana use. It requires removing 100 to 120 hairs from the body, which get sent to a lab in foil to preserve the specimens.

3. Blood

The most invasive, yet most accurate, drug test, blood testing looks for the drugs mentioned above as well as LDS, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, codeine, and cotinine. Blood gets drawn from an individual and placed in well-sealed tubes for lab analysis. Despite their accuracy, blood tests have short timeframes because all drugs, except for marijuana, vacate the bloodstream within six hours.

4. Sweat

Detecting drug use through perspiration requires wearing a particular patch for 14 days. Perspiration drug tests use the five-panel method to check for substance abuse. While employers use these tests, they are most commonly utilized in child custody cases to determine parental fitness.

5. Saliva

Saliva, or oral fluid, drug tests check for substances by collecting cells from inside the cheeks. Also known as cheek swabs, saliva tests are among the easiest and most effective solutions for employers. They look for marijuana, opiate, methamphetamine, amphetamine, and alcohol use within one to five-day periods depending on the substance. 

Schedule pre-employment and random drug tests with EMSI-BiState Professional Services, the Chesterfield, MO, agency serving individuals, businesses, and corporations. Drug testing is among the numerous services available from this AABB-accredited laboratory that uses the strictest sample custody procedures. Call (636) 537-3200 today to start the testing process or learn more about your options online. Get additional tips and helpful information on Facebook.