It’s no secret that routine drug tests must be done at certain organisations in certain areas of the world in order to ensure that people don’t turn up drunk for work. Drug users risk a business’ productivity, reputation, expenses, health and safety of the company and it’s workers. It is common to use a urinalysis test when a urine sample is used in order to tell if drugs are present in the system or not.
However, hair follicle tests are an examination that uses a small sample of hair to find specific drugs in your system. It will then measure the drug molecules and specific metabolites made after a drug is processed in the body. Hair follicle tests can be used for things such as pre-employment tests, as well as random police enforcement, post accident scenes and also cause and suspicious incidents.
The drug taste covers a period of ninety days unlike urinalysis tests only. This means that the hair follicle test makes it harder for someone undergoing the tests to clear their system just in time for the test to be taken. It can also tell you exactly when the drugs were taken, it can also detect alcohol is necessary, in careers where this is not permitted, and the person can be swiftly referred to alcohol rehab.
1.5 inches of hair is taken as close to the scalp as feasible. The test can detect drugs such as cocaine, marijuana, opiates, methamphetamines, and phencyclidine. If the test subject has no hair (is bald) then hair can be taken from other parts of the body with the same effect.
This works because after a drug is taken into the system, it is absorbed into the bloodstream which is then circulated around the body, nourishing hair follicles.
Hair follicles are not easy to get a substitute for, and unlike urine they not be spoiled or diluted. Someone can research ways to beat a urine test or even purchase drug free urine in order to pass the test with./ however with hair follicles it is a piece of DNA unique to each person. Hair follicles are much easier to collect, as well as handle or store. Urinalysis can only detect recent drugs instead of an entire drug history. A urinalysis will not be able to identify who is a short term user and a long term user. Retesting can be accomplished with a hair follicle test unlike urinalysis because their window of opportunity for testing will have closed after 3 days.
Hair follicles however can stretch up to 90 days. Most companies use follicle testing to determine who is under the influence at work and also find out which people need to seek treatment. If it’s found that employees fail drug tests, then depending on company policy they may be referred to drug rehab for support and care.
