Hair testing and urine drug tests are procedures carried out for various purposes. To help you out, this post outlines the differences between a drug test and hair and urine testing and their respective uses, drawbacks, and benefits. Keep on reading to learn more.
Urine Drug Testing
Urine tests, besides hair testing, are a popular drug testing option. Find out more about them below.
- What’s Urine Drug Testing
For the most part, a urine test can detect drug usage within the past few days. A specimen container will be given to the person being tested for drugs at the testing facility. Around 45 millilitres of urine will be poured into the cup. Once a sample has been collected, the individual doing the test will ensure it’s within the appropriate temperature range before putting it in a sealed container.
- When Should Urine Testing Be Used
Urine samples are convenient for pre-employment, random, and post-accident drug testing. Urine drug tests may not be the greatest option for employers that want to learn more about their candidate’s or employee’s long-term drug use because of its limitations.
To be clear, a positive result on a urine drug test doesn’t necessarily indicate that the person was under the influence of drugs at the time of the test. It only implies that they had drugs in their system just days prior.
- Urine Testing Pros
A urine sample is the fastest and least expensive route to check for drugs. It can be administered with little difficulty in the comfort of one’s home or office; nonetheless, it’s recommended that professionals are consulted and appropriate laboratory equipment be utilized for the most reliable results.
- Urine Testing Cons
Due to the prolonged elimination phase, three hours is the earliest drug traces could be detected in the urine. Simple methods of adulteration are very easily able to impact urine testing results.
Many people have discovered ways to falsify their urine samples. Urine is a highly malleable specimen. Synthetic urine and other contaminants bought online are widely available to those who wish to thwart a urine drug testing program.
Hair Testing
Hair testing is another option that can be used to check an individual for drug and alcohol use. Learn more about it below.
- What’s Hair Testing
Drug and alcohol detection through hair testing can be accomplished by analysing the hair’s cuticle and the blood supply. The test allows the laboratory to quantify the amount of drugs and their metabolites present in the hair follicle i.e. trace alcohol biomarkers.
- When Should It Be Used
Hair drug and alcohol testing accurately determines a person’s drug or alcohol use history, differentiates between occasional and chronic use, and tracks intake for up to a year or longer if the hair is long enough.
- Hair Testing Pros
Only hair testing can reveal a user’s drug use within the past 90 days, making it the gold standard for drug testing. Due to a larger detectable window, hair testing yields roughly twice as many positive results as urine testing – making hair testing an excellent choice for various drug testing initiatives.
- Hair Testing Cons
Hair testing is notoriously bad at picking up irregular usage patterns. Because new hair needs time to develop, it doesn’t include the days immediately preceding the test. It’s costlier too.
How Hair And Urine Drug Testing Proves Fault In Court
Hair and urine testing are instruments that are used in proving fault.
In the Bristol City Council v The Mother case decided by the High Court, the role of hair drug testing in proving fault has been established, wherein they said that:
“(1) The science involved in hair strand testing for drug use is now well-established and not controversial.
(2) A positive identification of a drug at a quantity above the cut-off level is reliable as evidence that the donor has been exposed to the drug in question.
(3) Sequential testing of sections is a good guide to the pattern of use revealed.
(4) The quantity of drug in any given section is not proof of the quantity actually used in that period but is a good guide to the relative level of use (low, medium, high) over time.”
The case also shows how testing may tell the difference between usage and contamination with the right processes in place. But test results are only one piece of evidence that each court must carefully review.
Tests for drugs in the urine may turn up the active drug, a metabolite of the drug, or other biomarkers of substance abuse. Although they can reveal whether or not a person has used drugs in the past, urine drug tests aren’t always reliable for determining whether or not someone is currently using them.
Depending on a number of conditions, drug usage can leave a tell-tale chemical signature in the urine for days, weeks, or even months. The amount of time a drug is in the system, how often it is used, and the like. This shows how urine testing may tell the difference between usage and contamination with the right processes in place. Yet test results are only one piece of evidence that each court must carefully review.
Conclusion
Drug testing objectives, the timeline for results, and available resources should all be factored into your decision between urine and hair testing with regard to drug usage. It’s said that hair drug testing is the gold standard for determining a person’s drug use within three months. And urine drug test is your best bet in cases where you suspect recent use.