Drug testing is a prevention and deterrent method that is often part of a comprehensive drug-free workplace program. Any workplace drug-testing program, Federal and non-federal, should comply with applicable local, state, and federal laws.
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Cannabimimetics Testing: For the current list of HHS-certified laboratories that offer cannabimimetics testing for federal agency specimens, please contact the National Laboratory Certification Program (NLCP) at (919) 541- or .
Tests may be done by a trained collector who visits your workplace to collect specimens, or employees may go to an HHS certified laboratory. To ensure accuracy, the specimen&#;s chain of custody must be continuous from receipt until disposal.
Before beginning drug testing, ask the following questions addressed in your drug-free workplace policy and consider how they will affect your testing program.
Develop a system to protect the confidentiality of employee drug-testing records. Select a person within your organization who will be responsible for receiving employee drug test results, and make sure that the person is aware of confidentiality protocols. Explain the relationship of the drug testing program to your organization&#;s employee assistance plan (EAP), if one is offered. Let employees know how drug-testing results can be used to inform their treatment, rehabilitation, and re-integration into the workplace.
Find more information on determining whether to conduct workplace drug testing.
Drug tests vary, depending on what types of drugs are being tested for and what types of specimens are being collected. Urine, hair, saliva (oral fluid), or sweat samples can be used as test specimens.
In federally regulated programs, only urine samples are collected, although the Secretary of Health and Human Service has released guidelines for the inclusion of oral fluid specimens.
Tests are commonly used for five categories of drugs: Amphetamines; Cocaine; Marijuana; Opiates; and Phencyclidine (PCP). Additional categories may include barbiturates, Benzodiazepines, ethanol (alcohol), hydrocodone, MDMA, methadone, methaqualone, or propoxyphene.
Drug testing may be used in the following set times or circumstances:
Ensuring the accuracy of drug-testing results is critical. Using an HHS certified laboratory to test the specimens and a Medical Review Officer (MRO) to interpret the test results will help prevent inaccurate testing. MROs are licensed physicians who receive laboratory results and have knowledge of substance use disorders and federal drug-testing regulations. MROs are trained to interpret and evaluate test results together with the employee&#;s medical history and other relevant information.
A negative test result does not indicate that an employee has never used alcohol or illicit drugs, nor is it a guarantee against future use.
Federal employees or employees in safety and security-sensitive industries regulated by the Department of Defense (DOD) or the Department of Transportation (DOT) who show positive test results have the right to have the specimen tested by a second HHS-certified laboratory. Although a second test is not required, all employers should include this right in their drug-testing programs.
Depending on the workplace and the circumstances, employees who test positive may be referred to EAPs, into treatment, or for disciplinary action.
When a drug enters your body, your gastrointestinal tract absorbs and distributes it to the rest of your body. Your liver and other organs metabolize the drug (break it down). Metabolic processes cause the drug to turn into different chemicals, called metabolites. After a certain amount of time, the drug and/or its metabolites leave your body, mainly through your urine.
A drug test screens for certain drugs and/or their metabolites in a biological sample (such as urine or blood).
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The metabolic processes happen at different speeds for different drugs. Because of this, each drug and its metabolites have a different timeframe in which a drug test can detect them.
For some drugs like amphetamines, the main (parent) drug will be detected in urine. For most other drugs, metabolites will be detectable for a longer time than the main drug.
A drug test may look for only one drug, but most drug tests often test for multiple drugs with one sample. Although the drugs included in a drug panel test vary based on the reason for the test, the most common panel used to evaluate people for illegal drug use detects the presence or absence of five substances:
Other commonly tested substances include:
Yes. Some kits can test urine samples in the privacy of your own home. Some kits may use breath, saliva or hair instead. The accuracy of these products is variable. They generally are less sensitive than the formal tests done in a laboratory. This means that a home test could be negative, but a laboratory test could be positive with the same sample.
The American Academy of Pediatrics cautions parents against drug testing their children at home. Research studies have shown that at-home testing doesn&#;t reduce drug use. At-home testing also comes with the potential for misinterpreting results, which may negatively affect the relationship between children and parents.
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There&#;s nothing you need to do to prepare for a drug test.
Drug testing can be an emergency test, a scheduled test or it may be conducted randomly (for example, to meet ongoing employment requirements).
Depending on the circumstances, you may be asked to identify medications or supplements you&#;re taking.
Drug testing can be performed from small samples of your blood, hair, saliva, breath or, most commonly, your urine (pee).
For a urine sample, you&#;ll pee into a clean container provided to you. In some instances, you may need to provide your urine sample in the presence of a nurse or technician to make sure that the sample did indeed come from you.
For a blood sample, a phlebotomist will draw a small amount of blood from a vein in your arm or hand.
After the provider has collected the sample, they&#;ll send it to a laboratory for analysis
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