Why Drug Test : A urine drug test which is also known as urinalysis, urine drug screen or UDS process is an easy, effective and painless procedure that analyzes the urine for identifying the presence of certain illegal drugs and banned medicines in the human body. This test is conducted to detect several drugs and medicines like amphetamines, methamphetamines, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, marijuana, cocaine, methadone, PCP, opioids etc.
This test is also performed to detect the alcohol in the body. To detect the abuse problems that happened due to consumption of several illegal drugs this urine test is performed. After identifying the drugs that you are consuming and for that you are going through several illnesses, doctors can prescribe you some medicine or a treatment to overcome the situation. A regular testing can help to understand that your health condition is improving and you are no longer taking a drug. In a wide variety of situations in which testing for drug use or misuse is necessary this urine drug test can be used as this test is able to detect a wide range of drugs. Therefore, this test is the most common test for drug testing.
Highlights
Details of Urine Drug Test
In recent times, the consumption of drugs is rapidly increasing among all age groups. From teenagers to old everyone is addicted towards illegal drugs or medicines. Nowadays it’s like a candle which is used by everyone. Owing to this excessive consumption of drugs people are suffering from physiological and psychological problems. According to the report, globally billions of people are facing several mental and physical problems due to the consumption of harmful drugs. The consumption of these drugs not only affects mentally or physically but also creates disturbances in relationships, families, and in between friends. This now becomes a global societal problem.
Considering the situation, now the government, higher authorities and doctors are now recommending everyone to conduct the drug test especially urine test. There are many advantages of this drug test and it is able to detect several drugs in the human body. However, depending on several factors this drug test takes a day to a month to detect the drugs in the body.
This test is performed to examine the drug consumed by the people and also it evaluates the level of it. The wide varieties of drugs which are already mentioned are detected through this test.
So, you want to increase your knowledge regarding this urine drug test? If your answer is positive, then you have to go into the details of this article.
Facts About Urine Drug Test
Consumption of drugs has become very popular among the people in recent times. It’s just like buying daily use materials from the shop. Nowadays different age groups, even the 12 years old children, are also affectionate to these harmful and illegal drugs. The numbers are rapidly increasing.
This urine drug test helps to detect the different used or misused drugs. The use of drugs refers to consuming illegal drugs like marijuana, cocaine, and heroin while on the other hand drug misuse means the consumption of medicine in an unhealthy method which differs from the way that doctors prescribed.
The main function of this urine analysis is to examine the used or misused drugs in the workplace. Many companies recommend this test to the job applicants at the time of screening. If it is suspected from the symptoms or any workplace accidents that an employee consumed a drug then also the company recommends this urine drug test.
Sometimes doctors also order the patients to conduct the urine test for the confirmation that they are taking the medicine in an appropriate way, if the prescribed medicine has the significant potential for misuse. The most common potential misused drugs like opioids are used for the central nervous system (NVS) depressants to treat their anxiety and sleep disorders and also used to speed up the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactive disorder which is commonly known as ADHD.
Unlike this, in many other circumstances this urine drug test is conducted. The urine drug test is performed for different sectors like for forensic testing, medical testing, treatment adherence, athletic testing etc. The detailed of these testing are discussed below:
- Forensic testing: During an investigation or court case this test is performed to submit the result as evidence of the crime. As a term of probation this test is also sometimes conducted randomly or periodically.
- Treatment adherence: To confirm adherence of a substance that abuses the treatment program this urine drug test is recommended.
- Athletic testing: This test is performed randomly to examine the professional sportsman.
- Military testing: Commandos or the members of the military may be recommended to undergo this urine drug test either periodically or randomly. This test is performed to examine if they are consuming any illegal drugs or misused drugs to enhance their performance.
Few reports shared some facts related to these urine drug tests and the drug addiction. Those facts are such as
- Many companies conduct this drug test to test their employees. Though the authorities collect samples of hair, nails, blood, saliva and urine from them for testing, urine tests are the most efficient and easier to analyze.
- In the USA, above 120,000 people are suffering due to overconsumption of painkillers.
- Drugs like cocaine, amphetamines, methamphetamines, Adderall, Ritalin, Cylert, ecstasy, etc. increase the internal energy of the body and speed up the central nervous systems instantly.
- Maximum people in America die due to consumption of tobacco and drugs.
- After alcohol marijuana becomes the most popular and common drug. The use of Marijuana has increased since the last 10 years.
These are the few facts and statistics related to drug consumption. If you want the details of the urine drug test conducted by the companies for testing their employees you need to go through our page.
Why Drug Tests Are Performed by The Companies
Consumption of excessive drugs and alcohol have a severe impact on the employer’s health. Sometimes, those who are consuming drugs or alcohol might cause problems to others directly or indirectly on many occasions. Inside the company if some bad incident occurs due to drug or alcohol consumption it may hamper the reputation of the workplace. Simultaneously, in any company drug addicts could lose their concentration, focus and suffer from severe mental health conditions This will hamper their productivity and morale. Which indirectly affects the company. Therefore, companies conduct these drug tests to detect if the employees are addicted to drugs or not. Though the employees sometimes feel that it is an interference into their personal life, to maintain the company reputation and also to balance the working life this test needs to be conducted. However, this test required huge investment which was mostly carried out by the companies.
There are several reasons due to which employers conduct this urine drug test of the employees. The reasons are-
- To avoid employing personalities who might break the safety protocol of the company.
- Recognize personnel who have drugs and/or alcohol problems and support them to recover and back to work safely.
- Help to select the responsible workers who give value to the workplace safety.
- To identify if employees use drugs or alcohol
- To make a benign work atmosphere and a drug-free workplace
- To follow state laws
Therefore, almost all companies are now conducting the drug test for both the new and regular employees to maintain the company’s standard and goal. Similar to this, the drug test is necessary for other sectors too. Like if the traffic police or any other high rank officers are addicted with drugs and/or alcohol then they lose their focus and distract from their responsibilities. This leads to either job accidents or any kind of illegal activities.
So, drug tests, especially urine drug tests, have become popular in all sectors. There are different types of urine drug tests available such as 5-panel, 7-panel, 10-0panel and also multiple panel drug tests are available.
Among these urine drug tests, mainly 5-panel and the 10-panel urine drug tests are the most popular ones. So, you want to know regarding these drug tests? If your answer is yes, then here we are providing you the brief details of it.
5- Panel Urine Drug Test
The 5-panel urine drug test is one of the most popular type drug tests which is available for either individual or the employees of the companies. It is also most frequently used by government agencies. This test is conducted to detect the commonly abused substances such as Marijuana or THC, Cocaine, Opiates, Amphetamines, Phencyclidine, oxycodone, hydrocodone etc.
In the middle of 1980 this basic urine drug test was developed, following the Nixon-era mandates the drug testing to return to the USA for the troops from the Vietnam war. This was the start of the modern drug testing era. Though this type of drug test has few limitations it is still recommended for many of the private and government companies.
This test uses the specimen of the urine to conduct the test for five general illicit drugs. Though consumption of these drugs gives the mental and physical relief to the person from the stress, they are illegal to procure. Because if they are consuming in excess, it may cause psychological and physiological illness.
After performing the test of the sample urine of the person, if the result is positive, it indicates that the person is consuming the drugs and the negative result shows that the person is not consuming the drugs.
Sometimes, the result becomes inconclusive, which denotes that the lab test has failed to detect the intake of drugs and the person has to perform the test again to confirm the drug intake.
Nowadays, considering the limitations of 5-panel drug tests, the urine drug test has become advanced and the 10-panel urine drug test is getting popular. Here the details of this drug test are discussed.
10-Panel Urine Drug Test
This urine drug test is able to detect the five most common misused prescribed drugs. This test also conducts for 5 most famous illicit drugs. The illicit drugs are referred to as illegal or the street drugs which are not prescribed by the doctors.
This test is now getting popular. However, it is still not accepted by the expertise and this isn’t a standard one like a 5- panel urine drug test.
The 10-panel drug test detects the following drugs such as Amphetamines (amphetamine sulfate, methamphetamines, dexamphetamine and Adderall), Cannabis (Marijuana, Hash, and THC), Cocaine, Opioids (Heroin, Opium Codeine, Morphine), barbiturates, and Benzodiazepines etc. This test is also conducted to screen phencyclidine, methaqualone, methadone, and propoxyphene etc.
These are the most common drugs in US and 10-panel drug test screens for these illegal and misused substances. However, alcohol is not screened through the 10-panel urine drug test.
Once the drug is ingested into the body, it stays in the body for a limited period of time. The drug detection times vary due to several factors such as types of drugs consumed, level of the dose, last day of the consumption and the metabolism rate of the person.
The urine drug testing has few limitations. Like, these drug tests are unable to detect the current state of damage. As an alternative, it tests for the drug or other substances created during the drug consumption. To detect the drug, it needs to be present in a certain level of concentration.
The results of these tests are either positive, negative or inconclusive as already mentioned.
Procedure of Urine Drug Test
The urine samples of the sufferers are collected in the collecting cup by the drug administration. Then they perform the test to detect the drugs. The complete procedure to detect the drugs comprises the following steps.
- The person who is going through the test takes the small collecting cup from the authorities.
- The person who has to undergo this urine drug test should leave all the belongings like mobile, purse, suitcases, watch etc. Furthermore, no materials or substances should remain in that person’s pocket.
- Generally, the test is conducted in toilets. The same gendered nurse or the instructor will be there to guide you to complete the whole process.
- You need to clean your genital parts with clean clothes which are provided by the guide or nurse.
- Then you need to urinate into the given collection cup. After that, you need to handover the sample to the administrator or to the technician.
- In the final step, the administrator or the technician will measure the temperature and analyze the samples.
Urine Drug Test Analysis Time
After completing the process of urine sample collection, one day to one month is required to know the analysis results depending on the various factors which are already mentioned previously.
Here the various drug detection times are discussed.
- The detection time of Amphetamines is 2 days.
- To detect the barbiturates is 2 to 15 days.
- The detection time of benzodiazepines is 2 to 10 days,
- 3- to 30 days’ time is required to detect the Marijuana depending on the frequency of consumption.
- The detection time of cocaine is 2 to 10 days.
- 2 to 7 days are required to detect the methadone.
- Methaqualone is detected within 10 to 15 days.
- To detect the opioids 1 to 3 days are recommended.
- To detect phencyclidine and propoxyphene 8 days and 2 days are required respectively.
Here is the detection time required for a few drugs. The detection time sometimes varies from the above-mentioned days from person to person. So, it is difficult to find the accurate detection time for the various drugs in the body.
These are the facts related to the urine drug tests. In recent times, though the people know the consequences of the drug they consume it to escape from mental and physical stress. However, people don’t even understand that they are addicted to drugs.
- Conclusions:
To detect the presence of alcohol, illegal drugs or any other misused substances urine drug test is a quick and effective one. For various reasons, employers, athletes, sportspeople, doctors, traffic police have to undergo this test. This test screens a wide range of drugs, including Marijuana, Cocaine, nicotine, Opioids, heroin etc. Some drugs stay longer in the body as compared to the other drugs. If the first test result becomes positive then the person has to go through the second urine drug test for the confirmation.
If you are interested in going through the test here, we are bringing the urine drug test for you. You will get an effective and economic urine drug test kit.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Why a drug test?
Ans: Drug abuse in the office or in the workplace puts the employers at a danger for higher accidents, more absenteeism, lower productivity etc. This all increases the insurance costs of the company. Like all drug testing processes, urine testing helps to ease these jeopardies by sifting out drug addicted from a workforce as well as dissuading drug use within it.
How long does it take to have a drug test?
Ans. It usually takes one day to a month. The days vary due to a number of factors.
Why is urine testing the most frequently used method for drug testing?
A: Several companies conducted these drug tests to their employees to eliminate their acquaintance to the hazards of workforce drug use. While all drug test– urine, oral fluid and hair – have their own advantages, urine drug testing is by far the most flexible, popular and customizable.
Why urine drug testing is best suited to a lab-based?
A: Urine testing is an ideal solution for every testing reason including pre-employment, random, reasonable suspicion, post-accident, return-to-duty and follow-up testing. Businesses rely on laboratory-based urine testing for its cost-effectiveness, capacity to screen for a wide variety of drug substances, both illicit and prescribed.
What types of drugs are detected with a urine drug test?
A: Urine drug tests is conducted to detect the following drugs: amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, cocaine, marijuana, MDMA (ecstasy) and its metabolite, methadone, opiates, oxycodone, phencyclidine (PCP) and propoxyphene, synthetic cannabinoids (“K2/Spice”) and synthetic stimulants (“Bath Salts”).