When it comes to drug use, some questions have easy answers. “Should I worry about addiction to prescription opioids?” Absolutely. “Can I get away with driving under the influence”? Absolutely not. “How long can drugs stay in one’s system?” Here’s where things get more complicated. The answer varies from one substance to another, and what people mean by “stay in one’s system” isn’t always clear, either. Read on to learn more.

Effect Is Not the Same As Presence

Drugs vary in how long they take to take effect and how long those effects last. Cocaine, especially when smoked, is notorious for the rapid onset and fleeting nature of its high. Conversely, the hallucinogenic effects of a dose of LSD can last for as many as 12 hours. However, even after the psychotropic effects of a drug have passed, the body still takes additional time to fully metabolize that substance. Byproducts of cocaine metabolization, for instance, remain in the body for as many as three days, where they can show up in blood, saliva, and urine tests.

Factors That Affect Metabolization

No two human bodies are the same, and this truth comes into play when we talk about how long drugs stay in those bodies. Age and body weight are two of the biggest factors in how long drugs take to fully exit our systems—as we get older, our metabolisms slow down, and the less we weigh, the more effective a drug will be in its dosage. Even race and ethnicity can affect how the body processes some substances. People of European descent, for instance, seem better equipped to metabolize alcohol than Africans, East Asians, and indigenous Americans, whose genetic profiles include a slower metabolization of ethanol molecules.

Different Tests Give Different Results

Testing a subject’s blood, urine, or saliva for drug use will indicate recent activity. However, metabolites in the blood can travel to hair follicles and deposit themselves in the hair, meaning that indications of drug use can be detected in one’s body for days, weeks, or months.

The standard hair test for drugs will “look back” about 90 days. This is true for head hair collections. However, a body hair drug test may admittedly look back much further. Special order hair drug testing can segment the head hair so as to look back in 90-day segments, such as 3 months, 6 months, and 9 months, etc. However, you must have long enough head hair to go back that far. A 90-day hair drug test requires 1.5 inches of head hair length; therefore you need 3 inches in head hair length to look back and estimated 180 days, etc. If you do not have long enough head hair you might consider fingernail or toenail drug testing that has a look back of an estimated 3 to 6 months for fingernail and possibly up to 1 year for toenail collections! No matter how long drugs can stay in one’s system, hair drug panels ranging from a 4-panel hair follicle drug test to a 17-panel hair follicle drug test can detect the most common illegal drugs and many frequently abused prescription medications within the past 90 days and beyond.

When securing employment in a field that requires safety and conscientious operations of heavy machinery, passing a drug test is a prerequisite for starting in earnest. What should be a routine condition of getting the job, however, often has unusual and surprising complications. As many as ten percent of all drug test results return false positives—that is, they report the presence of a drug the user never ingested. This can prove quite alarming for applicants. Here’s what you need to know about false positive drug tests.

The real question about false positive drug tests

As you can imagine, we often talk to people that feel that they have received a false positive drug test. The first thing we ask is what type of test was it, and more specifically, has it been confirmed by GCMS (gas chromatography–mass spectrometry) or LCMS (liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry) technology? There are countless ways to administer drug testing, and like many things, you get what you pay for! Some drug testing can be done on site and may yield instant results via oral swab or urine. While the quality of these drug test kits may vary, it is perhaps more important to know if your on-site drug test is being sent for further confirmation testing. Whether you have taken a lab-based drug test or just an on-site drug screening kit, you should never be told, based on one test result, that you are positive for drugs. For example, all testing we offer, whether it be a lab drug test or an initial on-site drug test, includes any necessary confirmation testing. In fact, if we have a screening test detect something, we do not consider it, or even refer to it as positive until confirmation testing has been completed! In other words, this is referred to as a non-negative until further testing can determine if it is a true positive.

Has my prescription caused a false positive drug test?

Can your prescription cause a false positive drug test? There are two key factors in answering this. First, was confirmation testing done? Secondly, was a medical review of your prescriptions complete? Medical review is the process in which a medical expert, usually a physician, looks at your reports to determine whether or not your positive (screening and confirmation completed) is prescription related. They will also use several methods to verify that the prescription is legitimate and current. Here is an example of our process to completion: Jennifer is taking Adderall as prescribed by her physician. Jennifer takes a urine drug screen. Jennifer gets a “non-negative” on the first test and the second test (confirmation by GCMS technology) is completed, which also shows positive for amphetamines. Jennifer completes the medical review process, including proof of prescription, and the final drug test report reflects the verification of the prescription. It is important to keep in mind that just because you are taking a prescription, it may not be the cause of your positive drug test.

What if confirmation testing and medical review was done but I am still getting a positive?

We often talk to callers stating they are getting a false positive through another avenue, such a probation, child protective services, and even their pain management doctor. In some cases, these people are telling the truth! A false positive drug test can cause some real problems. It can result in jail time or extend your probation. You might get rejected by your pain management doctor, suffer wrongful employment termination, or even lose custody of your children. In these cases, you need something for your own records. We recommend doing your own drug test, trying a different laboratory, and even trying a different type of drug test sample. Customer service can help talk through your specific situation and help decide what type of testing may be in order.

Don’t lose hope—get your own drug test.

In summary, it’s important to consider what people really mean when they say they have a false positive. Each situation is different! What kind of drug test was it? Was it a quality lab? Was confirmation and medical review provided? Was this prescription related? Remember the window of opportunity to get a drug test is limited. Hair drug testing can lengthen the look-back time and is offered in 5-panels up to the 17-panel hair drug test. We cannot promise to deliver the test results that you need, but we can promise to talk through the situation and help in any way we can. We also promise to tell you if we think a test will not help your situation. What you need to know about false positive drug tests is that you are not the only one, which generally means there may just be a remedy to your situation.

If you’re on probation, you don’t need to have watched a lifetime’s worth of police procedural dramas to know that a positive drug test is probably not going to improve your conditions. Your probation officer will make a recommendation to the court as to how to proceed. We’ll walk you through what happens when you fail a drug test while on probation—though we hope you should never have to find out firsthand.

A Range of Consequences

Your probation officer will play a large role in what happens next. While the final word lies with the court, your probation officer will make a strong recommendation. If you’re lucky, you may only incur a stern warning, which will carry no further consequences but should strongly caution you to cease any activity that could get you in further trouble. If you get off with only a warning, take it to heart—there usually won’t be a second one.

If this isn’t your first time drawing the ire of your probation officer, you’re likely to face a much more serious response. You may see the court extend your probationary period as a result. If your officer and the court believe you have it in you to kick a drug habit, they may have you attend extended counseling or rehab programs. The worst-case scenario, however, is facing fines or even jail time as a result of a failed drug test.

Ask For a Second Opinion

What happens when you fail a drug test on probation can depend on which type of test they perform. Not every drug test is reliable. There are plenty of ways to draw false positives on drug tests, especially if this test was an on-site result (meaning it was not a lab drug test and did not go to the lab yet for confirmation). It is also not uncommon to get false positive alcohol test or scram monitor positive in the case of environmental exposure to alcohol. If you truly have reason to believe your test has returned a false positive, you’ll want to take another test for yourself to prove you were clean.

First, ask whether they performed a confirmation test on your results. If they didn’t, they should have—a gas chromatography/mass spectrometry test (or GCMS) is the gold standard in substance testing. The precision and specificity of a GCMS test can verify whether the substance in question was truly in your sample. Many drug tests use saliva or urine to screen for illegal or illicit drugs, and if this was your experience, you can submit an alternative sample that will deliver the negative results you deserve. A 5-panel or 10-panel hair follicle drug test is the smart choice. The extended detection time of a hair test will prove to your probation officer and the court that you have indeed remained in compliance with the terms of your probation, sparing you lasting legal consequences.

The aftermath of an accident in the workplace or on a job site can be a scary time for a business. Heartbeats race not only for the people directly involved but for management as well. Employers can have a flurry of questions going through their minds as they assess the damage. Did the employee injure themselves? Was it someone else’s fault? Was there damage to company assets or property? Will worker’s compensation come into play? When safety ratings and insurance rates come into play, how will this affect the bottom line?

Even in emotional moments, you owe it to your business, your staff, and yourself to follow all proper protocols regarding safety and responsibility at work. If an employee has been involved in an accident on the job and you suspect the involvement of drugs and alcohol, you must require an immediate drug test to determine whether the employee was under the influence on the job. Alcohol, a depressant of the central nervous system, is a common cause of accidents. As such, you need to know if it was present in the employee’s body, as this is key to determining compensation and liability. In the wake of a serious incident, here’s what to know about post-accident drug testing.

Short Time Frame

Following an accident on the job, it’s imperative to move as quickly as possible toward performing a drug test. Because the body metabolizes different drugs at different rates, they all have varying windows of detection. To protect against any of those windows closing early, one of the most important things to know about post-accident drug testing is that you must request and receive a drug test sample as soon as possible. The detection time for a urine alcohol test is only 1 to eight hours. Most other drugs will be detectable for only about 1 to 3 days post-accident. Marijuana, however, will remain detectable for between 2 to 4 weeks. In most cases, a post-accident drug test will entail procuring a sample before the end of the workday.

Put Your Employee on the Bench

Speaking of the workday, be prepared to work shorthanded following the accident. When employees are involved in an accident that requires a post-accident drug test, hold them out of work until you receive the sample for drug testing. Following that, you may choose to keep an involved employee on leave until you receive the results of the test—usually within one to three business days.

Different Testing Options

It’s clear that if you have a worker who has been involved in an accident that involves injury or property damage, you must require an immediate drug test. Which test you choose to administer, however, depends on how much information you are looking to collect. Although urinalysis usually detects alcohol within one to eight hours of ingestion, if you suspect long-term alcohol use is a contributing factor to the accident, you have options. An EtG hair test or ETG nail bed test can detect drug and alcohol use within a 90-day window.

Light to moderate alcohol consumption is a normal part of many people’s lives. However, when situations such as divorce, custody battles, and probation come into play, individuals may need to take a break from drinking alcoholic beverages. Some people may try to get away with flouting their guidelines, but court-ordered alcohol tests can determine whether a subject has remained true to abstention. But how long does alcohol stay in your system? That depends on where you look.

In the Bloodstream

Testing for blood alcohol concentration is the most common way we detect alcohol consumption. The familiar breathalyzer test measures blood alcohol concentration within a 24-hour timespan. Breath tests are adept at detecting immediate alcohol consumption; however, because the body removes alcohol from the bloodstream relatively quickly, breath tests are not suitable for long-term testing windows.

In Urine

Even after the body has fully metabolized alcohol, urine tests will continue to show the presence of alcohol. There are two urine alcohol tests. A common urine alcohol test has a detection time of about one to eight hours from alcohol consumption, and is commonly ordered also with employment related testing. The urine EtG test has a longer detection time of up to 80 hours. The compound known as ethyl glucuronide (or EtG) is a byproduct of ethanol metabolization that the body excretes. This is more commonly used for personal situations.

In Hair and Nail

Hair tests can tell a long story when it comes to what enters the body. An EtG hair alcohol test can detect the presence of EtG over an estimated window of 90 days when performed on head hair. When labs perform the EtG test on a body hair sample, it can possibly go back even further than that. It is possible to detect six months or more of alcohol consumption in body hair. If hair testing is not an option, labs can test fingernail samples for the presence of EtG, which has an estimated detection time of three to six months. While hair tests with as much as a full year of results are available for drugs, this is not available for alcohol testing.

Note: If you feel you are getting a false positive alcohol test or ankle monitor, we can help. Thanks to the extended detection times, a hair or nail ETG test can be an extremely powerful tool in disproving a false positive report.

How long alcohol stays in your system depends on how quickly the body metabolizes it. This depends on a variety of factors, including weight, age, metabolic rate, and liver health. Generally, the body can metabolize about one standard drink per hour. However, while alcohol’s lifespan within the body itself is rather short, the body still retains remnants of that consumption, which advanced models of testing can ascertain.

Note: If you feel you are getting a false positive alcohol test or ankle monitor, we can help. Thanks to the extended detection times, a hair or nail ETG test can be an extremely powerful tool in disproving a false positive report.

Ever since 2020, we’ve started doing a lot more at home. Dining out became takeout, the guest room became the office, and the classroom moved to the kitchen table. We can do more in the comfort and confines of home than we had previously imagined. This extends to drug testing as well.

In order to secure employment or remain in compliance with court orders, drug tests are often necessary. But, now more than ever, subjects can complete these tests without leaving home. Here are some of the benefits of at-home drug testing and how they can deliver accurate results and positive outcomes while allowing for comfort and convenience.

When Privacy Matters

We often talk to individuals that are extremely concerned about privacy. Although we always treat your drug test as private health information, some individuals prefer running their drug testing as an anonymous donor. In these cases, an at-home hair sample can be collected from the comfort and safety of your own home and then submitted to our processing lab for testing. All at-home hair collections are labeled as anonymous and assigned a number so that you know that it is the hair sample that you submitted.

We have several hair test options for at-home collections starting with a basic 5 panel hair drug test and going up to the 17-panel hair follicle drug test. By submitting hair rather than urine, our laboratory can detect the presence of illegal and prescription drugs within the last 90 days, and all it takes is 90 to 120 strands of hair. These hairs can come straight from the body, out of a hairbrush, or even out of the bathroom sink. These hair tests provide accuracy over a long period, but most importantly, allow for private people to undergo discreet testing. We also have the option of testing further back than the estimated 90 day time frame, as long as the hair sample is long enough to match the desired time frame.

A Good Option for Children

At-home hair drug test collections are often a good choice for concerned parents. If you are worried that your child or loved one may be using drugs you may prefer doing the hair sample collection at home with your child. We also have the option of simply submitting a sample from a hair brush or their bathroom sink. In these cases, hair collection steps may vary so it is best to call ahead to obtain collection instructions. If you are submitting a sample from home it is important to keep in mind that it is not going to have the specimen donor’s name on it and therefore will not hold up in court. In order for a drug test to hold up in court, the specimen donor must be collected at the lab.

Expanded Windows

One of the key benefits of at-home drug testing is that a hair follicle test is not only easy for subjects to complete, but it offers at least a 90-day window of insight into drug usage. If you wish to look back further than the 90 days we can usually test in increments of 90 days. Each 1 ½ inches of head hair represents about 90 days, so for example, if you want a hair drug test that can look back 6 months you will need at least 3 inches of head hair length.

The Department of Transportation characterizes some industries or occupations as safety sensitive. This includes (but is not limited to) the following:

• Federal Motors Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) or truck drivers and other CDL licensed operators
• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
• Bus drivers under the Federal Transit Administration (FTA)
• Aviators under the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
• Captains or merchant mariners under the United States Coast Guard (USCG)
• Railroad conductors under the Federal Railroad Administration
• Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).

Due to the heightened need for safety in these industries, there are important testing and compliance guidelines that need to be followed. These testing parameters include not only pre-employment, but also a random selection for drug testing, post-accident, reasonable suspicion, and return-to-duty. As an employer operating in a DOT-regulated industry, it is extremely important to be sure that you remain in compliance with the guidelines. Each agency listed above should have an easy-to-follow set of DOT drug testing parameters published online. To help you better understand that, here’s a summary of what employers and employees must know about DOT drug tests.

What Is a DOT Drug Test?

A typical DOT drug test consists of a 5-panel urine test. However, in some cases, the reason for testing will dictate what option is needed. For example, a post-accident DOT drug test needs to include a breath alcohol test. Although drug testing on other samples, like hair, saliva, and nail, are potential options, DOT testing will only call for a urine sample. In some cases, if there is reasonable suspicion, an employer may call for something beyond the DOT-regulated testing and require anywhere from a 5-panel hair drug test to something more extensive, like the 17-panel hair drug test. Instant urine testing is not an acceptable DOT drug test.

Who Must Take a DOT Test?

DOT-regulated drug tests are necessary for any “safety-sensitive” employees. These employees are those who hold a job that can affect their own safety and the safety of the public. Some of these roles include:

• Federal Transit Administration: Vehicle operators, security, or mechanics
• Federal Railroad Administration: Engine and train operators, signal service workers, or train dispatchers
• Federal Aviation Administration: Flight crews, flight attendants, or aircraft dispatchers

What Do DOT Tests Look For?

Per the standard five-panel DOT-regulated drug test, the substances the test looks for include:

• Marijuana/THC
• Cocaine
• Amphetamines (including methamphetamines)
• Opioids (codeine, heroin, morphine)
• Phencyclidine (PCP)

When Is a DOT Test Required?

Part of what employers and employees must know about DOT drug tests is when administering the tests is appropriate. Drug tests are required in situations such as:

• Pre-Employment: Drug tests are standard practice to ensure a new hire isn’t going to be a possible danger to other employees or to the public.
• Reasonable Suspicion/Cause: If an employer suspects an employee is under the influence of drugs based on observations of appearance, behavior, speech, or smell, they may request a drug test for that employee.
• Follow-Up Testing: This takes place after an employee’s return to duty. A substance abuse professional will manage the follow-up tests for up to five years to ensure consistent results.
• Post-Accident Testing: If an employee is involved in an accident, an alcohol and drug test is required to clarify whether or not these substances played a role in the accident.
• Random Testing: Through a DOT random selection process called a drug test consortium, an employee must submit testing when their name is pulled.

In the wake of filing for divorce, fighting for primary custody of your child may seem like the most challenging battle you’ve ever waged. When emotions and resentments run high, it can be easy to envision or even enact shouting matches and pitched battles. But with all due respect, our advice for parents going through a child custody battle is to remain cool, calm, and collected. An even-keeled, analytical approach often leads to the best outcome for you and your child.

Don’t Speak Ill of the Other Parent

It can be tempting and cathartic to let all your ill will loose during a separation or divorce. You may want to vent your spleen about grudges and misdeeds to friends, relatives, or even your child. As good as this may feel in the moment, however, there’s a high likelihood your words will come back to haunt you. Even in situations where your feelings are justified, expressing your opinions too openly could color the opinions of people whose support you rely on.

Communicate With Care

In a similar vein, as you remain in touch with your co-parent through a custody battle, be aware that written communications such as texts and emails could find their way into the custody hearing. With that in mind, communicate calmly and professionally regarding matters of child custody so as not to harm your own standing in family court. As difficult as it may be to keep your emotions out of family issues, avoiding unforced errors may work to your benefit.

Inquire About Drug Testing

Saying goodbye to your kids for the weekend is never easy. Even leaving them in the best of hands can give you a twinge of doubt. The trepidation you feel when you’re forced to leave them in hands you know not to be the best, however, can lead to overwhelming anxiety. Ongoing divorce and custody proceedings can be difficult on parents, and drug and alcohol abuse during such tumultuous times is regrettably common. Not only can some forms of self-medication be against the law, they can also endanger your children. If you suspect your child’s parent or new partner is exposing your child to illegal drugs, you may ask the court to order a 10-panel hair follicle test, which will identify the use of illegal and commonly abused prescription drugs within the last 90 days. For additional insight, ChildGuard testing can verify a child’s passive exposure to drugs such as methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and marijuana.

Be Honest

Our overarching advice for parents going through a child custody battle is to tell the truth. Overstating or understating adverse conditions won’t stand up under scrutiny and severely jeopardizes the likelihood of a positive outcome to your case. “Honesty is the best policy” may sound like shopworn grade school wisdom, but with investigations and evidence available to the court, a transparent and forthright approach to your custody case will always serve you much better than one of fanciful horror stories and gross exaggerations.

Discovering your child may be using drugs or alcohol can be both jarring and frightening. We talk to concerned parents about this all the time. If you are a parent that is worried that your teenager is doing drugs, consider that one of the worst things you can do is pretend that it is not happening. This is an incredibly anxious time for parents and your family as a whole. Part of this anxiety comes from knowing you must confront the issue, but also the fear of what else you might not yet know. First, take a second to give yourself some credit for finding the courage to begin this research. Next, you need to quickly find out what you don’t know and also contemplate the best way to approach your child about the situation. Below you will find a quick summary of what to do when you learn your teen is addicted to drugs.

Understanding and Assessing the Situation

In order to properly approach and address your teen’s drug use, you need to first have a firm grasp on the situation. You need to know what type of drugs they are doing. Most of our concerned parent callers know that there is drug use occurring but they are not quite sure when or what drugs. For most drugs, a saliva, blood, or urine drug test has a look back of only a few days which is why most concerned parents choose hair testing. Hair drug testing offers extended detection times usually in 3 month increments. For example, as long as you have a few inches of head hair length, we can order a hair drug test with a look back of 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, etc. If you are not sure what drugs your child is doing, choosing a more comprehensive hair drug test is a good idea. You might consider a 17, 13, or 10 panel hair follicle test. When you call to order your drug test we will be happy to help you narrow down what you need so that you are not overspending. We offer the option of doing a collection either from home or at one of our drug testing collection facilities. We can also perform a drug test on a hairbrush sample.

Addressing the Behavior

It is not easy knowing what to do when you learn your teen is addicted to drugs. However, you do know your child better than most others. It’s likely that your teen will be angry or defensive, so you must be the one to stay composed. Contemplate the best approach for your child. Be prepared for what they are going to tell you, and ready with suggestions and next steps. Consider an agreement that involves what you need from them and what you can offer them in return. It’s important to clearly set the limits of what you believe to be acceptable behavior and reinforce that with appropriate consequences and positive reinforcement. After you’ve set your expectations, allow your teen to have input. By allowing them to have input, and influence the expectations they are held to, the conversation will feel less hostile to your child and instead can become more of a collaborative effort.

Portraying the Risks

Hopefully, by now, you know what you are dealing with. Hopefully you have talked with or tested your teen and you know what drugs are their “go-to” drugs of choice. If you know what drugs they are using you can do some research and better know what they are going through. A teenager doing drugs is never good, but the severity of the drugs and the addiction needs to match your response. A good grasp on the situation along with a solid understanding of the effects of the drugs they are using will help you clearly explain to your teen why you’re worried and why their drug abuse is no okay.

On-going Testing for Drugs

Parents that get a positive urine or hair drug test often ask us what drug testing to do next. There is some real value in getting your child or loved one set up with an on-going drug testing program. The idea that they will be expected to provide “clean” negative drug tests in the future is sometimes just what they need to stay on track. We strongly suggest making the drug testing random. You want to keep them guessing when they might be expected to provide a drug test sample. Another good strategy is a combination of hair and urine testing. This way they will not know what is expected and therefore will not know how to prepare. For example, if a child is doing heroin they can stop doing it for a few days to pass a urine test. Or, for a hair test, you may not want to wait the 90 day time frame before finding they are still using. Also, adding hair testing might actually save money by not requiring multiple urine tests per week or month. We can talk with you and come up with an easy random urine and hair drug testing strategy. Often the 5 or 10-panel hair follicle tests will cover your concerns without costing too much! We can also pull the random for you, or we can let you be the one to tell us when each test is needed.

Many people abuse addictive substances to cope with or avoid traumatic events and troubles, so once you’ve found yourself at the mercy of that addiction, it can be challenging to get yourself back out. The first step toward recovery, however, is taking responsibility. Let’s take a look at the importance of accountability during addiction recovery.

The Avoidance of Accountability

Typically, drug and alcohol abusers struggle to accept responsibility for their addiction and actions. They’ll blame their actions and behavior on the substance and use it as a way to get out of situations that make them uneasy and uncomfortable. Because many of them started abusing trying to solve some sort of problem in their lives, they’ll try to justify their usage or excuse it as something that is out of their control. To fully recover, abusers need to admit their faults and face their own behaviors directly.

Effects of Avoiding Accountability

When abusers refuse to commit to accountability, they will often deny or hide their past usage, downplay the consequences of their addiction, or blame other people or events whenever they relapse. This kind of avoidance can push an abuser further into their addiction, potentially even adding a new substance addiction to try and “replace” the addiction they’re attempting to control.

Ways To Exercise Accountability

So we’ve established the importance of accountability during addiction recovery, but how does one commit to accepting accountability when it is such a difficult feat? Here are a few practices and methods of support that may help you get through such a difficult period:

• Support Groups – You’re never alone. We understand the difficulty of addiction, and support and therapy groups—whether one-on-one or group sessions—are good ways to make sure you’re not going through this alone.
• Routine Testing – To stop yourself from cheating, you might consider committing to a regular routine of drug tests, such as a urine drug test or ETG hair alcohol test, to keep you honest and accountable. Knowing that someone will know if you relapse is a good motivator.
• Coping Strategies – Throughout the therapy process, you will learn and develop new methods for coping that are much healthier for your emotional care. These methods will give you a wider range of solutions and options so that you don’t feel that your only option for stress relief or self-soothing is to turn to substance abuse.