How to perform a drug test
Drug testing involves an analysis of any biological sample, blood, urine and etc. to check for the presence of intoxicants in the body. However this test is only carried out when it been taking drugs or is under the influence of drugs. However drug testing can be carried out for a number of reasons.
- Drug testing which is a pre-requisite for gaining employment in any industry
- Drug testing at the time for college or athletics
- Drug testing which is carried out post-accident, usually in any event which may have resulted in causality or an accident when the driver has been under the influence of drugs.
- Drug testing for safety related issues where in a person under the influence of drugs could pose to be a security threat.
Drug testing is an important pre requisite especially when seeking employment in areas where the general safety of the public is of utmost importance. This would mean hospitals, restaurants, road safety, airlines, driving jobs etc.
In certain employment sectors employees may be subjected to random drug testing. It can be carried out if the person is suspected of using drugs while on the job. However, it can also be carried out randomly just because it’s a routine check which has been issued in the company policy. If a person is found to be taking drugs while at work, most companies have a non-tolerant attitude and it may result in the termination of the employment. Though there are certain companies which may provide an opportunity for the person to go to a drug rehab program, not all companies have such policies.
What kind of drug tests can be carried out?
It is mandatory for a drug test to be carried out at a reputable laboratory. A drug test is a two-step process. Initial testing and confirmatory testing. Confirmatory tests include gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, also known as the GC and MS tests. These tests are highly sensitive and specific, this means there is little to nil chance of a false positive or a false negative.
The initial or the immunoassay tests is carried out first. It is normally regarded as a screening method. If the initial tests comes out as negative, there is no need to conduct any secondary testing it is only during the instance when there is a positive on initial testing that the person may be asked to come in for the second testing.
The second testing is more specific because it can be used to find the presence of particular drug substances in the body. The most common sample for carrying out a drug tests is by taking a urine sample. The urinalysis shows the presence of drugs in the urine long after the effects of the drugs have worn off. Oral or saliva testing is another method of performing a drug test. It is also known as a swab test. Then there are blood tests and even hair tests to find the presence of drugs in the body.
At a meth testing course in Sydney, the students are taught the various methods of identifying the presence of meth in the body.
source: https://methtestingkit.com.au/training/