Wednesday 14 August 2013

Why Hair Drug Testing?

Drug testing is everywhere these days. If you're looking for a job, you'll likely have to agree to some sort of drug test. And, it's not just new applicants who are being tested. Many companies randomly drug test their employees, too. Whether you agree with the premise or not, drug testing is becoming a part of our culture and companies with such a policy won't hire you without it. Traditionally, drug testing was done at a lab or clinic and your blood or urine was tested. However, companies are starting to use hair drug testing more frequently.

What is hair drug testing?
Hair drug testing, as the name implies, uses hair instead of blood or urine to screen for drug use. The person administering the test will take a sample of your hair, usually around 80 to 120 strands.  If you are bald or have insufficient hair on your head for the sample, hair from another part of the body can be used. 
Why hair drug testing is preferred over urine and blood testing
Hair drug testing has many advantages over urine and blood testing. For one thing, it's much less invasive and those who administer the tests don't have to worry about biological hazards. In addition, a hair follicle test gives a more complete history of a person's recent drug activity. Blood and urine tests only give a 30 day (or less) history, whereas a hair grows about 1/2" each month and most test sites require at least a three-inch sample. That's six month's of drug history.
Most hair drug tests screen for commonly-used recreational drugs, such as cocaine, marijuana, opiates, amphetamines and benzodiazepines. Although alcohol does not adhere to the hair, its metabolites do, so hair drug testing can include an alcohol screening.
How to pass a hair drug test
Obviously, the best way to pass a hair drug test is to stay clean and sober. You don't have to worry about second-hand smoke contaminating your hair follicles. Modern testing methods "clean" the hair before testing, so the only toxic substances that will register in the test are drugs that were in your blood, not in the atmosphere.
Since there are many legitimate prescription drugs that can cause you to test positive on a hair drug test, it's important to bring your prescriptions with you to the test and to answer the tester's questions accurately. Such things as drinking too much coffee or eating a poppy-seed bagel right before the test can cause a false-positive.
Drug tests are a part of our culture. If you're looking for a job or working for a large company or a government agency, you can expect to have to submit to a drug test. 
If you've taken something that you think may show up on a drug test, check out Synergydetox.com. They carry Precision Cleanse and Toxin Wash hair drug test shampoos. They are very popular and have high success rates at detoxifying the hair to help pass a hair drug test.