A drug test is a way of determining the presence of specific drugs on people. The test subjects are usually instructed to submit biological specimens, such as, urine, hair, blood, or saliva.
Multiple factors, such as, the drug used, how much of the drug was consumed, and how often the drug was used, can affect how well or how fast a drug or its metabolites can be detected. The subject’s metabolism, body mass index, age, and heath can also pose as factors.
When a drug is consumed, it takes about 6–8 hours or more from the time of consumption for the drug to be metabolized and excreted in a subject’s urine. This is why testing through urine analysis cannot detect current drug use.
When a person receives a request for a drug test, he or she is typically instructed to go to a collection site. The subject’s urine or a biological specimen required by the testing site is collected in a specially designed secure cup in a secluded location, usually accompanied by a site assistant to make sure the specimen has been collected on the site and not tampered with in any way. The cup containing the specimen is sealed, and sent to a testing laboratory to be screened.
People undergoing drug tests are usually asked if there is any legitimate reason for the possibility of concentration of a certain drug in his or her system. A person, for instance, may have been prescribed by a physician to take certain drugs while undergoing medical treatment.
All test results are reviewed by a medical physician. Subjects are then informed whether the screen show negative results in the specimens or not. The test results come out positive if the specimen shows a concentration level of a drug or metabolite above an established limit.
Tags: drug test, drug test procedure, drug test process
