There are five primary types of drug tests:
urine, blood, hair, saliva, and sweat. Most common is the urine test which has
the benefit of being inexpensive and less intrusive than the blood test.
Urine Drug Tests
Urine drug tests are the least expensive of the
test methods (from $3 for the
home drug test version). Urine tests are
considered an intrusive method of drug testing. A urine drug test can be done
at home (for example by parents) though require lab verification (lab
confirmation) for accurate results. These types of tests detect use primarily
within the past week (longer with regular drug use). Urine tests can be
affected by abstaining from drug use for a period of time before the test.
Urine drug test cups are often temperature tested to insure sample integrity.
Saliva Drug Tests
Saliva drug tests are a little more expensive
than urine testing, but less than hair or blood. They range in price beginning
at around $14. Saliva tests are considered a relatively nonintrusive method of
drug testing. Saliva drug testing is becoming more common as it is easy to
administer. Like urine tests, saliva testing requires lab processing to ensure
accuracy. The saliva drug test can detect drug use primarily within the past
few days (sometimes in as few as 24 hours). These tests can detect more recent
use than other testing methods (in as short as one hour after drug use). Saliva
drug tests have no nationally accepted standards or cutoff concentrations for
detection, making results greatly dependent on the specific product purchased.
This could also make results less-reliable and/or acceptable for legal cases.
As far as accuracy goes, saliva tests are more reliable for detection of
Methamphetamine and Opiates, less reliable for THC or Cannabinoids (2004).
Hair Drug Tests
Hair drug tests are currently several times
more expensive than urine tests (start at $58) and are considered a relatively
nonintrusive method of drug testing. Hair follicle tests detect substance use
over a longer period (up to 90 days, depending upon hair length), but do not
usually detect use within the past week. A hair drug test requires a sample of
hair about the diameter of a pencil and 1.5 inches long. They can not be done
with a single hair. Typically, hair tests positive a little more than twice as
often as a urine test. In a recent study, out of 1823 paired hair and urine
samples, 57 urine samples tested positive for drugs of abuse; while 124 hair
samples from the same group tested positive. Unlike urine or saliva tests, hair
drug tests are not significantly affected by brief periods of abstinence from
drugs. Hair tests can sometimes be used to determine when use occurred and if
it has been discontinued. Drugs, such as opiates (codeine, morphine, heroin) lay
down on the hair shaft very tightly and are shown not to migrate along the
shaft, thus, if a long segment of hair is available one can draw some "relative"
conclusions about when the use occurred. However cocaine, although very easy to
detect, is able to migrate along the shaft; making it very difficult to
determine when the drug was used and for how long. Labs performing hair tests
claim to be able to reliably differentiate between opiate and poppy seed use.
Some hair drug tests now check for more than the SAMHSA-5, and include at
least Cannabis, Ecstasy/MDMA, Cocaine, Opiates, Methamphetamine, Amphetamine,
Phencyclidine (PCP), Benzodiazepines, & Barbiturates.
Blood Drug Tests
Blood draw drug testing is the most expensive
method of testing. It is considered the most intrusive method of testing.
Blood drug tests are the most accurate method of testing and are the least
common method of drug testing (most likely due to cost).
Sweat (Patch) Drug Tests
Sweat drug tests are considered a relatively
intrusive method of drug testing because they require the wearing of a patch for
an extended period of time. The sweat patch is still relatively uncommon and
are a controversial in terms of accuracy. There is some reason to believe that
surface contamination (such as cannabis smoke) can cause a false reading. The
sweat drug test can detect use which would not trigger other tests. Because of
the short detection period for many drugs in urine, single use of many drugs
longer than a week prior to using the patch will not cause a positive urine
test. Because the skin patches are gathering sweat over an extended period of
time, it is possible that any use during that time will produce a positive
result.
For more information on the different
types of drug tests, click on one of the links to the left.
Drug Testing Service Area:
Salt Lake City: West Valley City, Kearns,
Magna, Bennion, Murray, West Jordan, Sandy, South Jordan, Riverton, Draper,
North Salt Lake, South Salt Lake, Bountiful, West Bountiful, Lehi, Oquirrh Park,
Bluffdale, Sugar House, Taylorsville, Mill Creek, East Millcreek, Ft. Union,
Hunter, Granger, Midvale, Redwood, White City, Jordan Hills, Welby, Daybreak,
Holladay, Cottonwood, South Mountain, Olympus Cove, Cottonwood Heights,
Herriman, Alpine, Highland, American Fork and Rosecrest.
Ogden: South Ogden, North Ogden, Plain City,
Willard, South Willard, Perry, Harrisville, West Haven, Riverdale, Washington
Terrace, Clinton, Hooper, West Point, Syracuse, Clearfield, South Weber, Layton,
Kaysville, Fruit Heights, Farmington and Centerville.
Provo: Lindon, Saratoga Springs, Eagle
Mountain, Orem, Vineyard, Pleasant Grove, Palmyra, Mapleton, Lake Shore, Spanish
Fork, Benjamin, West Mountain, Salem and Payson.