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| Visual depiction of a hair follicle (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Of course, it's a very simple and painless process for the test subject since it requires a hair sample. But what does it do? What can it test more effectively than other, more traditional drug tests?
The standard hair drug tests search for abuse of these drugs, according to Omega Laboratories:
Cocaine, marijuana, opiates (Codeine, Morphine & 6-monoacteyl morphine), methamphetamine, (Meth/amphetamine & Ecstasy), and phencyclidine (PCP). These five drug classes are mandated for testing by the Federal Government.
The test itself requires between 50-120 strands of 1.5 inch long hairs from as close to the follicle as possible.
Did you know? Laboratories can even test body hair, which is one way of achieving the results for a hair drug test from a bald person.
Really, the absolute best aspects of hair drug tests are:
1) Greater chance to identify past drug use
For many of the drugs listed above as commonly tested substances, many can be identified through hair drug tests within 90 days of use. Many substances are processed through the body in such a fast span of time that this can really help identify substance abuse in people planning to "beat the system."
It is possible to show evidence of substance abuse up to years in the past, especially for marijuana, but most hair drug tests explicitly search for use within the past 90 days.
2) Less ability to tamper with the results
Because evidence of abuse is inside the hair strand itself, nothing done on the outside, like coloring it or altering it with chemicals, can affect the test results. That level of consistency and reliability is a huge comfort for many parents and employers!
Have you ever used or considered using a hair drug test instead of a traditional model? We'd love to hear your thoughts!
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