Alcohol Testing Options
Testing for alcohol can be done by various methods. The method you choose will depend on your reason for testing for alcohol and also the desired time you wish to cover.
We have summarized the alcohol testing options offered with AMH Nationwide and included the estimated time frame for detection.
Urine drug test
– Urine alcohol test (standard) – detection time about 1 to 8 hours post consumption, commonly used for employer related drug testing such as post-accident and reasonable suspicion ALCOHOL, ETHYL (U)
– Urine ETG alcohol test – detection time up to 80 hours post-consumption, useful for court and custody situations, helpful to establish abstinence for parenting plans
– Healthcare Professional Profile II.A comprehensive drug test with standard alcohol test, commonly used for employment drug screening
Hair alcohol ETG – has a look back of an estimated 90 days, useful in establishing a period a long-term abstinence from alcohol, commonly used for court, custody and parenting plans, used to contest false positive alcohol testing and scram monitoring
Read More About Alcohol Testing Options
Nail alcohol ETG test – has a look back of an estimated 90 days, also used for court, custody and false positives, useful in the event an individual does not have enough hair for a hair alcohol ETG test
Peth alcohol blood spot test – detection time about 2-3 weeks post consumption also used for court, custody and false positives, provides a longer detection time than traditional urine alcohol testing, useful in establishing abstinence when 90 days is too long
It is well documented that alcohol can have potentially severe effects on the human body when consumed in large doses or with excessive frequency. However, alcohol as a substance can act as both a stimulant and a depressant to the nervous system, depending on the dosage consumed. At low doses it is a stimulant, raising impulsiveness, stoking aggression, and increasing heart rate. When taken at high doses, it can cause sluggishness, disorientation, and slower reaction times as a depressant. While heart rate rises as a result of low doses, at high doses it decreases, along with blood pressure. Finally, at higher and higher doses mental sharpness, including awareness, problem-solving, and cognitive reasoning, drastically diminishes. This comes to a head with more long-term side effects, including addiction and psychological dependence, cancer and liver disease, and emotional conditions such as clinical depression. For all of these reasons, testing and monitoring of alcohol use have increased dramatically over the years, both throughout the workplace as well as in the judicial system, meaning that understanding the processes involved with alcohol testing is more important than ever.
Despite alcohol being legal to consume at age twenty-one and beyond in the USA, there are several exceptions for a number of locations and private circumstances. For example, private workplaces often have their own rules about alcohol consumption, both within and outside of company locations, and may decide to test their employees at their leisure. In addition, there are many safety-sensitive positions that can regulate alcohol usage, with the supervisors and employers for such companies frequently testing for it. Such positions include transportation-heavy jobs such as pilots and truck drivers, and accident-prone positions such as construction jobs and heavy equipment operators. Companies employing such individuals often initiate random testing for their workers, to ensure that risk of injury is minimized.
In the case that an accident does occur, whether in the workplace, on the road, or otherwise, it is not uncommon for employers as well as courts to order post-accident testing to ensure that alcohol played no part in the event at hand. In addition, should a court situation be pending, such as through a recent accident, a custody case, or a perceived probation violation, then it is often a good idea to do a test in advance to have it ready. For concerned family members and employers, there are a multitude of options available for alcohol testing, so do not hesitate to contact a professional to discuss the paths available and stay best prepared for whatever may happen.
You can obtain the necessary lab order by calling customer service to complete registration and payment!