Drug tests can be used to confirm the presence of drugs including opiates, cocaine, amphetamines, barbiturates and benzodiazepines. Depending on the number of tests requested, these tests can also cover substances like heroin. Fingerprinting is also used to confirm whether a person has been in contact with a known drug dealer.
This can be done by taking a swab from the inside of the palm of your hand, which can then be compared to a database of known dealers. If a match is found, the person is suspected of being involved in the drug trade, and the police can take further action, such as issuing a warrant for their arrest.
Table of Contents
How do you read the results of a drug test?
When no line appears in the Test Region (T) but a colored line is displayed in the Control Region (C), the drug test result is POSITIVE. A positive urine test result indicates that the drug was detected by the test. Positive urine tests indicate that a drug is present in a person’s system.
The presence of drugs in urine is not a reliable indicator of drug use. Drug use is determined by a variety of factors, including the person, the time of day, and the environment in which he or she is using the drugs.
For example, if someone is smoking marijuana in his or her car while driving, it is unlikely that that person will test positive for marijuana. However, someone who is driving a car with a passenger who has recently used marijuana is more likely to be found to have a positive result on a urine drug screen.
Can a nail drug test be wrong?
When performed correctly, urine and hair tests are a proven test. If you are concerned about the results of your urine test, you should contact your doctor immediately.
How far back can a nail drug test go?
A person’s history of drug and alcohol use is captured with a finger nail test. The results of the test can be used to determine whether the person has a drug or alcohol problem and whether they are likely to use drugs and/or alcohol in the future.
How long do drugs stay in fingernails?
Fingernails are four times thicker than a strand of hair and often capture more substance than hair can. After a nail is cut, biomarkers become locked in the fibers of the nail and can be seen for up to 3-6 months. Nail biopsies can also be used to monitor the health of your nails.
A biopsy is a procedure in which a small amount of tissue is removed from a patient’s fingernail and sent to a laboratory for analysis. The tissue sample is then sent back to the patient to be examined under a microscope to determine the presence or absence of cancer or other diseases.
How do I know if my drug test is positive?
A red or pink colored line next to the word “Control” and NO line next to the word “Drug” indicated a Preliminary Positive for that drug. If after 20 minutes the line does not appear on the screen, or if after 30 minutes it does appear, the drug is not present in the blood. The test must be repeated at least once a week for a minimum of 3 months.
What do the levels on a drug test mean?
Drug testing detects the presence of drugs and drug metabolites using cutoff levels to determine whether a specimen tests positive or negative for the use of a specific drug. A cutoff level is a threshold. If the concentration of a drug is above the cutoff, it is considered to be present in the specimen. The cutoff is typically set at 0.1 ng/mL or less. However, some laboratories may use a lower cutoff.
For example, if a sample is positive for cocaine, the laboratory may set a cutoff of 1 ng of cocaine per milliliter of blood. The cutoff may also be adjusted to account for other factors, such as age, gender, and body mass index (BMI), which may affect the detection of certain drugs.
Is a hair or nail drug test more accurate?
Fingernail testing often has a longer detection period, with toenails being able to give some evidence of drug use for potentially as far back as twelve months. Depending on the type of test used, hair follicle drug tests have a smaller detection window of between three and six months. Drug testing can also be used to determine whether a person has been exposed to a particular drug.
For example, if a drug is detected in the urine of someone who has tested positive for cocaine, that person may be considered to have used the drug, even if he or she has never used cocaine in his or her life. This is because cocaine is metabolized by the liver into a metabolite called cocaethylene, which is then excreted in urine. Cocaine is a stimulant, meaning that it increases the heart rate, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels.
It is also a sedative, so it can cause drowsiness and sleepiness. Because of this, it is often used as a “date rape drug” in order to incapacitate a potential victim.
