Hair drug testing
is becoming
increasingly popular as a method of
drug testing, as it has the
potential to detect drug use over a
much longer period than other types
of drug tests. In this blog post,
we will explore what hair drug
testing is, how it works, what
drugs it can detect, and the
advantages and disadvantages of
using hair drug testing.
What is hair drug testing?
Hair drug testing
is a method of
drug testing that involves
analyzing a person's hair for
evidence of drug use. It is a
non-invasive method of drug testing
that can detect drug use over a
much longer period than other types
of drug tests, such as urine or
saliva tests. Hair drug testing can
detect drug use from as far back as
three months, depending on the
length of the hair sample.
How does hair drug testing work?
Hair drug testing
works by
analyzing the hair follicle for
evidence of drug use. When a person
uses drugs, the drugs are
metabolized in their body and
circulate through their
bloodstream. Some of the drug
metabolites are then incorporated
into the hair follicle as the hair
grows.
To conduct a hair drug test, a
sample of hair is collected from
the person being tested. The hair
sample is typically taken from the
scalp, but hair from other parts of
the body can also be used. The hair
is then sent to a laboratory, where
it is analyzed for evidence of drug
use.
The laboratory first washes the
hair to remove any external
contaminants. The hair is then cut
into small pieces and dissolved in
a solution. The solution is then
analyzed for evidence of drug use
using techniques such as gas
chromatography-mass spectrometry
(GC-MS).
What drugs can hair drug testing
detect?
Hair drug testing can detect a wide
range of drugs, including:
-
Marijuana (THC)
-
Cocaine
-
Heroin
-
Methamphetamine
-
Ecstasy
-
PCP
-
Opiates
Advantages of hair drug testing
There are several advantages to
using hair drug testing over other
types of drug testing:
-
Long detection window: Hair
drug testing can detect drug
use from as far back as three
months, depending on the length
of the hair sample. This makes
it an ideal method of drug
testing for pre-employment
screening or for monitoring
drug use over a longer period
of time.
-
Difficult to cheat: Unlike
urine or saliva tests, it is
difficult to cheat a hair drug
test. Shaving the head or body
hair will not affect the
results, as the hair sample can
be taken from other parts of
the body.
-
Non-invasive: Hair drug testing
is a non-invasive method of
drug testing. It only requires
a small sample of hair to be
collected and does not require
any needles or other invasive
procedures.
Disadvantages of hair drug testing
There are also some disadvantages
to using hair drug testing:
-
Cost: Hair drug testing can be
more expensive than other types
of drug testing, due to the
laboratory analysis required.
-
False positives: Hair drug
testing can sometimes produce
false positive results,
particularly for marijuana.
This is because some hair
products, such as shampoos and
conditioners, can contain trace
amounts of THC that can be
detected in a hair drug test.
-
Limited detection window for
some drugs: Hair drug testing
is not always effective at
detecting drug use over shorter
periods of time. For example,
it may not be able to detect
drug use that occurred in the
days leading up to the hair
sample being taken.
Conclusion
Hair drug testing
is a method of
drug testing that can detect drug
use over a much longer period than
other types of drug tests. It is a
non-invasive method of drug testing
that can be difficult to cheat.
However, hair drug testing can be
more expensive than other types of
drug testing, and it can produce
false positive results in some