General Interest

Drug Testing Basics

Methods

The most common drug testing procedures are:
--- urine testing (the most common)
--- saliva testing (becoming more common)
--- hair testing
--- blood testing
--- perspiration testing

The basic drug test used by almost all testing programs (work, school, sports, and legal), checks for at least these 5 groups of substances:
--- Amphetamines (amphetamine, methamphetamine, etc.)
--- Cannabis (marijuana, hashish, thc based substances)
--- Cocaine (cocaine, crack, benzoylecognine)
--- Opiates (codeine, heroin, opium, morphine)
--- Phencyclidine (PCP)

Other substances that can be tested for include:
--- Barbiturates (butalbital, phenobarbital, secobarbitol, etc.)
--- Benzodiazepines (rohypnol, serax, valium, xanax, etc.)
--- Ethyl Alcohol (drinking alcohol)
--- Hydrocodone (lortab, vicodin)
--- MDMA (ecstasy)
--- Methaqualone (quaalude)
--- Methadone
--- Propoxyphene (darvocet, darvon, dolene, etc.)

Substances that are rarely checked for include:
--- LSD (acid)
--- Phenethylamines (dom, mda, mescaline, etc.)
--- Tryptamines (dmt, psilocybin, 5-meo-dmt, etc.)

Here is the approximate time different drugs will be detected with a urine test. This does not mean that the drug is not present in your body, just that if you get tested you will probably pass the test.

--- Amphetamine: 1 to 4 days
--- Barbiturates: 1 to 21 days
--- Benzodiazepines: 1 to 42 days
--- Cannabis: 4 to 21 days or longer
--- Cocaine: 4 to 5 days
--- Codeine: 2 to 5 days
--- Heroin: 2 to 5 days
--- LSD: 1 to 3 days
--- MDMA: 1 to 2 days
--- Methadone: 3 to 4 days
--- Methamphetamine: 3 to 5 days
--- Morphine: 2 to 5 days
--- PCP: 3 to 7 days

Cannabis (marijuana, hashish, thc based substances)
There is a very wide gap here, 4 to 21 days or longer.
This is due to a number of factors including:
1) if the person was an infrequent or daily user
2) how much the person weighs/body fat
3) the persons metabolism

A person who consumes cannabis once a week or less often (and who has little body fat) will test clean after about 4 days of not using. A daily user (who has little body fat) will test clean after about 14 to 21 days.

THC is stored in body fat, a person with more body fat may cause THC to be stored for longer periods when compared to someone with little to no body fat. A fast metabolism will help clear the body of any drug quicker than a slow metabolism. After 30 days clean, 99% (or more) of people will pass a urine test for marijuana.

Notes On Drug Testing

Because street drugs are notoriously impure, you may actually be taking several other drugs in addition to, or instead of the drug you think you are taking.

Some legal over-the-counter and prescription drugs can cause false positives. If you are currently taking medication, consult your doctor or another professional to find out if you are at risk of showing a false positive.

There are various drug tests available that can be done at home prior to being tested at work, or for some other reason. Make sure to get a test that is the same as what will be employed for the real test. For example, don't get a home urine test if you are going to be hair tested at work.

For more information about drug testing, see the articles at erowid and wikipedia. They include detection periods when blood, hair, saliva, and sweat testing are employed.

---

 

 

[ Top of Page ]

 

---

 

 

The Site

Index

Need More
Information

Drug Books
Terminology
Search Engines