Often the most important part of drug testing is deciding what type of drug test to conduct. You must ask yourself, “What ‘question’ am I asking this donor?” The question may be “Are you impaired?” or “Do you have a habit of drug use?” By thinking in terms of the question you need to answer, you can select the appropriate testing method for the situation.

When you need to know if there has been recent drug usage or if the donor is currently impaired, urine testing is recognized as the industry standard. When the question is “Does this person have a habit or pattern of drug use?,” hair testing is fast becoming the test of choice. Using a small sample of hair cut at the crown of the head, hair analysis evaluates the amount of drug metabolites embedded inside the hair shaft over a longer time frame, with the standard test going back 90 days. The test result can also be used to determine approximate usage levels of the drug.

The standard 90-day hair test uses an inch and a half of hair from the head. If head hair is not available, then body hair can be tested, showing a broader range of approximately twelve months of detection. It is extremely important to understand that Hair-testing does not detect the most recent 1-2 weeks of drug use because the hair has not grown out from scalp, for more immediate usage of 7-10 days urinalysis is recommended.

Standard hair-testing cutoff levels are designed to catch repeat drug abusers, while urinalysis cutoff levels are more sensitive and can detect trace drug usage. The question of external contamination creating a “false positive” test result is not a concern since hair testing is a metabolite-based process. Like urinalysis, hair testing reports levels of drug use making it applicable to rehabilitation programs where patterns of past drug use are reviewed.

The standard 5-Panel hair test mirrors that of other testing methodologies. It screens for Cocaine, Marijuana, Opiates (Codeine, Morphine & 6-Monoacteyl Morphine), Amphetamine, (Meth/amphetamine & Ecstasy), and Phencyclidine (PCP). Several other drug panels are also being analyzed in hair, including Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, and Hydromorphone. While urinalysis offers drug panels not currently found in hair, many new panels are being developed for hair analysis.

Hair testing is prevalent in industries where there is a high level of concern for health and workplace safety, such as heavy manufacturing or food service industries. Since hair testing is a quick and easy observed collection, sample substitution is impossible to do without cooperation of the sample collector. In addition, hair testing results cannot be altered with the use of shampoos or other external chemicals. These elements have aided in its ability to withstand legal challenges, gaining wide court support for hair analysis.

By: Robert John Smaltz
Omega Laboratories
Guest Writer

Reproduced with permission from The MEDTOX® Journal