Top 5 Myths About Hair Drug Testing
Hair follicle drug testing is becoming a popular alternative to ascertain if a person has ingested any drug in the past 90 days. Apart from urine and blood tests, some organizations and other law enforcement agencies may necessitate a hair follicle drug test. Such drug test reports assist employers and other decision-makers in carrying out decisions associated with hiring, custody, or proving the presence of drugs in the body during a specific period. However, there are certain myths regarding hair drug testing that allow people to develop misconceptions about its validity and reliability.
Therefore, here we are debunking a few common myths associated with hair follicle drug testing.
Myth 1: Hair follicle drug testing can detect the presence of all kinds of drugs
Most people tend to believe that hair follicle testing can detect all varieties of drugs. However, a standard hair follicle test can only identify the presence of cannabis, amphetamines, opiates, cocaine, and PCP. Some specific labs may also detect the existence of prescription drugs such as oxycodone. Therefore, it is essential to remember that while a hair follicle test can detect the usage of numerous drugs, the effectiveness of the drug test report can vary and get impacted by certain environmental factors leading to false positives.
Myth 2: Hair follicle drug testing can detect the usage of drugs far into the past
Another common misbelief associated with hair follicle drug testing is that it can detect drug consumption far into the past. However, a typical hair drug test can only cover a period of 90 days with some slight individual variations. Moreover, the lab only tests the first 1.5-2 inches of hair for a standard test rather than an entire strand. This is because most labs can only test a whole strand of a hair follicle in limited circumstances, and therefore, the validity of such tests can be questionable. Hence, you should only worry about the initial 2-3 inches of your hair from the scalp for employment and other standard cases.
Myth 3: All employers can necessitate hair follicle drug testing before and during the course of employment
Employment drug testing may vary depending from state to state. For instance, certain conditions may qualify the employers to necessitate drug screening on existing employees only under limited circumstances. While the other states may not specify the requirement of drug testing before onboarding. However, companies should always follow the same policy for every employee regarding drug testing.
Myth 4: Use of any special shampoo or other products can wash out the evidence of drug use
Shampoo and other such products cannot wash out the drug consumption evidence. While you can wash out some of the residues present outside the hair strand, the hair follicle drug test penetrates the core to detect residual metabolites from specific drugs. However, there is no such shampoo or treatment in the market till date that can effectively erase the evidence of drugs from your hair follicle.
Myth 5: There is no solid defense for a positive hair follicle drug report
It is essential to understand that the validity of the hair follicle drug test depends on several critical factors. To obtain accurate results, each test purchaser and lab administrator must follow specific protocols while carrying out the drug test. For instance, using a hair strand from your hairbrush for a test won’t procure a reliable test report. Therefore, based on how the drug test was implemented, the suspect holds a strong case regarding a false positive or other factors that may render invalid results.
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