Why you Should go for a Drug Test and what Drugs They Test for

Pre-employment screening is crucial, especially when your employer wants to be sure of your productivity at work. Apart from pre-employment, certain state agencies may request routine drug testing to maintain your licensing. If you wish to undergo testing for any other reason, Humble drug testing specialists at Calvary Urgent Care are the professionals to contact. The facility’s expert team provides a comprehensive 10-panel drug screen so you can have your testing done quickly.

What types of drug tests are you likely to go through?

There are several drug tests and they vary depending on the types of drugs your doctor is testing you for and the specimens he has to collect.

Your doctor will perform a test for drugs like:

• Cocaine
• Marijuana
• Opiates
• Amphetamines
• Phencyclidine

Other drug categories your doctor may want to test include ethanol (alcohol), barbiturates, hydrocodone, methadone, or propoxyphene.

What circumstances will force you to go for a drug test?

• Pre-employment. Before your future boss hires you, he may request a drug test as part of your qualifications.
• Annual physical tests. Your doctor may advise you to go for alcohol testing or several other drugs as part of your annual physical exam.
• For probable cause and reasonable suspicion. Your employer may send you to a drug testing specialist when you start showing discernible signs of being unfit for your job or have a record of unsafe work ethics.
• Post-accident tests. Your doctor will perform a post-accident test after being involved in an accident to evaluate whether a particular drug was a contributing factor.

How long does it take for a drug to pass through your system?

The degree to which a drug’s effects will last in your body varies from drug to drug. The degree of variance is also similar to the length of time a drug or its residue lasts in your system long after the drug’s effects are worn off. While some drugs will stay in your body’s system for several months, others may take a few weeks to wear off.

Your doctor will request different types of drug tests based on what he wants to check for. The tests include urine, sweat, saliva, blood, and hair. Urine testing is standard because of its fast results, availability, and will help your doctor determine a particular drug’s use in the past few days. Your care provider will request hair testing if he wants to check for consistent use of a drug. Hair testing is very effective and will indicate drug use for up to the past 90 days. Your doctor might also use hair testing to find out when you used a specific drug, the length of time, and if you discontinued the drug use.

Factors likely to determine the length of time a particular drug will last in your body include:

• The type of drug
• The amount of drug you used
• Drug tolerance
• Hydration levels
• Body mass
• Physical activity
• Metabolic rate
• Frequency of use
• Existence of other drugs in your system
• Medical conditions likely to impact drug elimination

Drug testing is a common undertaking for various careers. Your future employer wants to hire you, knowing that nothing suspicious will affect your job function. For more on drug testing, book an appointment today to talk to your doctor.