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Drug Tests Explained

Drug tests can be divided into two general groups. The first group is the kind most people are familiar with. This type of testing involves the donor giving a sample of some bodily fluid or hair to an employer, doctor, law enforcement official, or a medical testing center. This is normally a sample of urine, blood, or hair, though saliva may also be used in some cases. After collection from the donor, the sample is sealed with a tamper-evident seal and sent to a laboratory for analysis. The primary advantages of this type of test are accuracy, legal defensibility, and the ability to customize tests for a particular demographic group. Cost may also favor this test when there are a significant number of samples to be tested.

The second type of drug test is an on-site (or at-home) drug test that does not require a laboratory. Though there is a significant market for these, they are more prone to error, contamination, and chain of custody problems, and are never legally defensible unless followed by another (lab based) test. Typically, these tests are bought online or at a pharmacy by concerned parents or small business owners in the interest of convenience and low cost. They generally consist of a card or device similar to a home pregnancy test, and are capable of testing urine, saliva, or sweat. While these are convenient, they are of limited use for employers, law enforcement, or any other entity that may need to defend the test result in a court of law.

This article will focus primarily on the first type of test, but will refer to the latter when appropriate.