Author: Drug Test Kits Direct

We have been in the drug testing industry for many years. Our challenge is to help minimize drug abuse in the workplace and to help parents understand how to test their loved ones and keep them away from drugs.SATISFACTION GUARANTEED. Our drug test kits are backed with a 100% satisfaction guarantee or your money back. Our products are FDA cleared, tested and used by organisations throughout the United States. We know how important the accuracy of a drug test is and that's why we are committed to supplying only the most reliable, highest quality products available. Delivering you accurate results and peace of mind.
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Do you have a company drug and alcohol policy?

Drug and alcohol policy

A drug and alcohol policy for your company is possibly one of the most important things to consider.

Alcohol and Substance Abuse Policy

(Company name) is a drug and alcohol-free workplace. The use of or being under the influence of illegal drugs and/or alcohol is inconsistent with the behavior expected of employees. The use of illegal drugs and alcohol and misuse of prescribed and over the counter drugs subjects employees and visitors to unacceptable safety risks that undermine the Company’s ability to operate safely, effectively and efficiently.

The use, possession, distribution or sale of controlled substances such as drugs or alcohol, being under the influence of such controlled substances (drugs and alcohol) or testing positive for alcohol or any drug including, but not limited to, inactive components or metabolites associated with the use of such drugs is strictly prohibited while on duty, while on Company premises or work sites or while operating the Company’s equipment or vehicles.

Our Company participates in post-offer, random and post-accident drug and alcohol testing. If injured on the job you may be expected to participate in a drug and alcohol test immediately following the injury.

 

___________________________________________ CEO’s Signature

 

THIS IS PROVIDED AS A SAMPLE ONLY AND SHOULD BE REVIEWED BY YOUR LEGAL COUNSEL EMPLOYEE CONSENT FORM

EMPLOYEE CONSENT FORM (APPENDIX A)

I hereby acknowledge receipt of (company name), Drug-Free Workplace Policy regarding drugs and alcohol. I have read and understood this policy. I understand that the refusal to submit to any drug testing required by this policy or a positive test result is grounds for disciplinary action up to and including termination. Furthermore, I authorize the release of the test results to my employer, and/or on post-accident tests, the Company’s workers compensation insurance carrier and understand that refusal to release these results is grounds for disciplinary action up to and including termination. I understand that if I test positive for alcohol or drugs including, but not limited to, inactive components or metabolites associated with the use of such drugs following an on the job accident, many states are ineligible for workers compensation benefits or may have benefits reduced by 50 percent.

 

I recognize that the Company’s policy on drugs and alcohol does not constitute an expressed or implied contract of employment.

As a condition of continued employment, employees must sign the attached consent form and comply with the policy.

I have read and understood this policy and will abide by it as a condition of my employment.

EMPLOYEE NAME: ________________________________________________________

SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER: _________________________________________________

EMPLOYEE SIGNATURE: __________________________ DATE: _____________________

WITNESS SIGNATURE: ___________________________ DATE: _____________________

Overview of Sample Drug and Alcohol Abuse Policy

All employees should have a vital interest in maintaining a safe, healthy, and efficient work environment. Employees under the influence of drugs or alcohol on the job pose serious safety and health risks to the user and to all those who work with the user. The use, sale, purchase, transfer, or possession of an illegal drug in the workplace, and the use, possession, or being under the influence of alcohol also poses unacceptable risks for safe, healthy, and efficient operations

While a written policy is not required for most states to protect the company, it is strongly recommended you have a written policy as it is easily the best way to prove that a policy exists. A well-written policy can help protect you from litigation and, in the event of litigation, may serve as a defense. If you have a written policy that is ill-conceived or poorly enforced, or do not have a written policy at all, you may be more susceptible to claims of personal injury to intoxicated employees, their coworkers and the public, claims of negligent hiring or retention, wrongful termination, disability discrimination, and claims from injured third parties. A well-written policy may serve as a defense to these claims.

We highly recommend that you review your program with competent labor and employment law counsel prior to implementing any substance abuse policy or drug-testing program in the workplace.

This sample policy is meant only as a starting point. The documentation and sample policy we provide is for informational purposes only. The sample policy is not meant to be used without consultation with your employment law attorney. These policies need to be tailored by your attorney to fit your situation. We assume no liability for the use of sufficiency of the information provided. In addition, please note the testing facility that you designate may require individuals to sign additional consent forms authorizing testing and/or release of test results.

There are many resources available to help companies develop drug-free workplace programs, including the Drug-Free Workplace Policy provided by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration on the DEA website. In addition, the National Institute on Drug Abuse can provide information on creating and implementing a prevention and treatment program for your employees by calling their Center for Substance Abuse Prevention Workplace Helpline at 1-800-843-4971. Your initial cost in establishing a drug-free workplace may be low if readily available resources are used. Again, you should always engage appropriate legal counsel to review any and all personnel policies prior to their implementation.

Drug-Free Workplace Written Policy: Basic Guidelines

Whether your organization tests employees for drug and alcohol use or not, you should have a written workplace substance abuse policy. While a written policy is not required for Workers Compensation Law, we strongly urge you to have a written policy as it is easily the best way to prove that a policy exists.

A well-written policy can help protect you from litigation and, in the event of litigation, may serve as a defense. If you have a written policy that is ill-conceived or poorly enforced or do not have a written policy at all, you may be more susceptible to claims of negligent hiring or retention, wrongful termination, disability discrimination, and claims from injured third parties. A well-written policy may serve as a defense to these claims.

We highly recommend that you review your program with competent labor and employment law counsel prior to implementing any substance abuse policy or drug-testing program in the workplace.

In addition to the recommendation to review with your labor and employment law counsel, consult the numerous available resources to further help you in launching your drug-free workplace program and policy. Both material and human resources are available to guide your efforts. Many of these services are free. Good use of these resources will help implement a drug-free workplace program at minimum costs.

Drug-Free Workplace Advisor

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Narcotic drug test kits

Narcotic drug test kits

Narcotic drug test kits are the new standard for detecting drugs.

Once upon a time, it was hashish, amphetamines (Speed), cocaine and Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). Times have changed and so have habits. Drug users are trying alternative drug types, and as we hear every day on the news, reaching epidemic levels.

So what is going on? While people get addicted, street sellers (pushers) will supply and feed the needs of addiction. And it will never stop while there are demand and profit.

Drugs have advanced, mainly because of smart scientists who keep making new drug formulas to fulfill the demand and create new markets. Ecstasy is an example, it’s chemically similar to amphetamine, but its molecular construction is different. K2 and Spice are other examples. But now dealers are mixing different drugs to feed more potential addicts waiting in line.

The problem is so severe that testing and detecting these new drug compounds is becoming more difficult.

The latest crisis is the abuse of Fentanyl and Tramadol. Both highly addictive and available on the black market or prescribed by irresponsible doctors.

The question what can you do as a responsible parent or a concerned employer? Is it possible to test for everything? The simple answer is no, but there are new Narcotic drug test kits that can certainly help. Oxycodone, Fentanyl, and Tramadol are synthetic opioids, highly addictive and potent. Methamphetamine is also very addictive and has a similar chemical structure to Amphetamines. We can now detect these drugs and many more with the latest narcotic test kits.

Here are two narcotic drug test kits that detect eleven or more drugs at once.

12 panel drug test kit with EtG alcohol

13-panel drug alcohol test kit (EtG)

Once upon a time, a five-panel drug test would have been the standard, but today ten, twelve and even thirteen-panel drug tests are the way forward. When testing, make sure the test you are using is a narcotic drug test kits.

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How do I test for prescription drugs?

Test for prescription drugs

Test for prescription drugs.

Testing for a prescribed drug these days is very straightforward. Prescription drugs are presumed to be safe as doctors prescribe them but often people become addicted, and this leads to abuse. The latest testing techniques detect these with either urine or oral saliva fluid test. They are simple to use, and results are quick and accurate.

Check the drug you want to test for is listed on the test beforehand, you can find this by looking at the product insert, it is essential to check as not all drug tests are the same.  Here is an example.

Note: For detecting drug residue, unknown pills or powder, then a surface test may well be the answer.

It’s now even more critical to test for prescription drugs because of the widespread epidemic across the world. We are seeing it happening at home and the workplace with devastating results. More and more people are getting hooked and often when their supply runs out are turning to street drugs such as heroin for their high. If you need to test for prescription drugs, now you can start with a simple kit. The person you are testing needs to give you a fresh urine sample; urine is always best for testing purposes. Check the test you are using detects the drug you need and proceed with the analysis.

Tests for commonly abused prescription drugs:

Opiates

  • Codeine: Tylenol® #3
  • Morphine: Avinza®, Kadian®, MS Contin®, MSIR®, Roxanol®, Embeda®
  • Oxycodone: Tylox®, Percocet®, Percodan®, OxyContin®, OxyIR®, Roxicodone®
  • Oxymorphone: Opana ER®, Opana IR®, Numorphan®

Opioids

Stimulants

Benzodiazepines

In conclusion: To test for prescription drugs, be sure the test detects the drug you want. Note: If you need a test for oxycodone, for example, don’t just assume the test you purchase detects Oxycodone because it says it detects opiates.

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Instant drug tests or Lab tests

Instant drug tests or Lab tests

Instant drug tests or Lab tests

We often get asked the question, should I use an instant drug test as opposed to a lab test. Instant drug tests or Lab tests it doesn’t matter as the preliminary result will likely be the same. To decide which is the best option we need to delve a little deeper to establish why you need to test in the first place.

Parents regularly use instant drug tests because they can use them in the privacy of their own home and get immediate results. The costs are low, and the results are immediate and offer guidance on what drugs if any are being abused.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of a lab drug test?

  • Must be used for all Federal testing
  • If a substance is detected, it will be quantified
  • Results maybe court admissible
  • Can be expensive
  • Results can take up to 5 days
  • Generally, the result is sent by email
  • You may have to travel to a lab to deliver the sample.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of an instant drug test?

  • Results are almost instant
  • There is no waiting for the results
  • Tests are low cost
  • Complete the test in the privacy of the home or workplace
  • Test kits can potentially detect up to thirteen different drugs simultaneously.
  • The quality, always buy from a reputable supplier
  • Only provides a qualitative result (Positive or Negative)
  • Errors by not following directions on use.

In conclusion, instant drug tests or lab tests was the topic, if you are on a budget and want to keep your testing private then instant drug tests may well be the solution.

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Drug residue test kit

drug residue test kit

Drug residue test kit.

With the advent of new testing technologies, it’s now feasible to detect and identify trace or bulk residue from almost any illicit or prescription drugs. Using a Drug residue test kit you can identify unknown drug residue within a few minutes. They have been used by thousands of people at home and in the workplace to identify drug use. Drug residue test kits are also known as surface drug test kits.

You can use a drug residue test kit almost anywhere you suspect signs of abuse. Examples include paraphernalia, motor vehicles, credit cards, work surfaces, paper, baggies, paper money, etc.

These tests mostly rely on colorimetric technology that uses a specially formulated paper combined with a liquid. It requires that you rub the special paper over the suspect area, now apply a few drops of liquid and watch the result appear as a color. This color is then compared to a chart to identify the substance.

Substances detected.

These kits can detect and identify many different drugs, here are some examples:

Illicit Drugs

  • Cocaine.
  • Opiates.
  • Methamphetamine.
  • Marijuana.
  • Bath salts.
  • LSD.
  • Buprenorphine.
  • Heroin.
  • Ecstasy.
  • K2-Spice.

Prescription Drugs

  • Hydrocodone.
  • Methadone.
  • Morphine.
  • Oxycodone.
  • Propoxyphene.
  • Ketamine.
  • Diazepam.
  • Phenobarbital.

Where can I use this kit?

Until recently it was only possible to detect drug residue with specialist equipment at airports, police, and DEA, but now with new technology they can be used by anyone, anywhere! The kits are inexpensive, non-hazardous, easy to use and conclusive. Airport authorities have been using these technologies to identify unknown substances so they can determine a drug quickly. You can now use these do the same to confirm your suspicions.

How do I know if I detect a drug?

drug residue test kits
Image of a test paper that detected marijuana.

The image above identifies the drug marijuana. The drug residue test kit includes a test paper which changes color as soon as a few drops of chemical liquid is applied. The enclosed instructions; shown below, show how different substances produce different colors to highlight a drug.

Surface drug test D4D

In conclusion, if you suspect drug use around the home or your workplace, using a drug residue test kit, it’s now possible to know what the substance is, quickly, conveniently and at minimal cost. As the test does not destroy the evidence, there be no sign of your investigation.

Links to other articles:

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What are the best home drug test kits?

what are the best home drug test kits

What are the best home drug test kits?

There is much confusion when it comes to deciding what are the best home drug test kits. It all depends what you want you to test for, there are different tests for different reasons.

There are urine tests, oral tests, hair tests and sweat tests. Each one has its place. Most commonly used are urine dip tests and the more advanced test cups. Both require a urine sample for analysis. But what about lab tests? It is only necessary to get a lab test if you are mandated by your company or if it is a Federal test. We would, however, recommend that if a urine test was done at home is presumed positive, send the sample to a convenient facility and have them test it for you.

What are the best home drug test kits to buy?

We advise that you use a ten (10) panel test kit. This what you should look for.

  • 99% accurate.
  • Make sure the cut-off levels meet the minimum standard set by NIDA
  • FDA 510(K) cleared.
  • CLIA waived.
  • Buy from a repeatable supplier.
  • Check that it tests for the drugs you want to check for.
  • Make sure you can read the results clearly.
  • Don’t buy the cheapest!

What are the best home drug test kits

Instant drug tests or lab tests?

Drug test kits have overtaken other methods of testing for drug abuse. Unlike typical laboratory testing methods, they are fast, simple to use and economical. You can use an instant drug test to test people that might be misusing or abusing illegal drugs. Home drug test kits are very popular as they can be used by parents for routine drug tests on their children.

Instant drug tests come in two different varieties; the simple dip method or a drug test cup. Cup kits are fully integrated and include a collection cup for the urine sample, a urine temperature test and the drug test all in one device. Cups are preferred because they are easier to use, dip tests are favored as they are cost effective.

Instant dip drug tests.

Drug test dip kits are great for detecting the presence of illegal drugs in urine samples as well as prescription drugs. The dip is a card that has a strip or series of strips that are dipped directly into a urine sample. The result of the test appears on the face of the panel. They are designed to detect from one to fourteen drugs simultaneously, depending how many panels it has. Multi-panel kits are favored as they can detect many drugs at once.

Instant cup drug tests.

What are the best home drug test kits

Test cups, on the other hand, are designed to curb urine contamination. But the operational principle is the same as the dip test. The cup test has a built-in sample collector and a temperature test. This method of testing can also, accommodate multi-panel testing where more than one drug can be detected.

Instant drug tests or lab tests? Both instant and lab tests are efficient in revealing the outcomes with a quality result. An instant test takes between 3 to 8 minutes to get a result, whereas a lab test may take several days.

Many people get puzzled how to read the results from an instant test, although the overriding principle is so straightforward. Anyone can use these test kits in their homes without looking for professional support.  Where to get drug test kits is not headache either. One can consider buying them online. There are many sites that are helping people find out where to get drug test kits that are correctly priced, dependable, and simple to use, apart from being approved by the FDA and CLIA waived.

Drug tests or lab tests? Instant tests are great for parents and for employers who want to test their employees regularly. Parents use them to ensure their kids are not using illegal drugs. Employers are testing their employees more and more because it can help in reducing workman compensation claims. It also helps to reduce overall costs from theft and accidents as a result of drug abuse.

It doesn’t matter where you are, drug abuse is actually a global problem and it is destroying many lives in its wake.

When making the decision on what are the best home drug test kits the final choice between instant drug tests or lab tests has to your decision. Don’t buy the cheapest as you want to know with accuracy the outcome.

If you are an employer then home drug test kits are just what you need. If you are a parent and have found signs of drug use in the home or you have noticed abnormal behavior from your loved ones, then test them and if the result is positive, get the sample confirmed by a lab. Same applies to employees, always confirm any presumed positive test results with a lab.

More information.

At home testing.

Workplace testing.

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Signs of Opioid Abuse and How to Test For It

Opioid abuse testing

Opioid Abuse

Opioid abuse is a major problem in the United States, with prescription addiction being one of the biggest drug problems today. Prescription Opioid medications are relatively easy to obtain. It is estimated that over 200 million prescriptions for opiates alone were dispensed in 2010. What is not understood is that prescription opiate abusers are far more likely to develop a heroin addiction than non-opiate abusers, one of the many reasons is heroin is far cheaper to buy.

You may hear the terms Opioid abuse and Opiate abuse, what’s the difference? Opiates are drugs naturally derived from the active narcotic components of the opium poppy, whereas Opioids are synthetic and semi-synthetic drugs. These are modified versions of the opiate chemical structure. Opioids usually reference prescription drugs. But the terms Opiates and Opioids are often used interchangeably.

Abuse of opiates, whether prescription drugs or heroin can have a serious impact on your health and wellbeing. The hazards of overusing opioids, sharing needles for injecting heroin or injecting pills that have been crushed has its own dangers. These substances and practices will affect almost every part of your body, leading to permanent damage to your health.

Here are some examples of Opiates:

  • Fentanyl.
  • Heroin.
  • Morphine.
  • Oxycodone (trade names include: OxyContin and Percocet).
  • Hydrocodone (trade names include: Vicodin and Lortab).
  • Codeine.

Oxycodone is the generic name for a range of opioid painkilling tablets. It is a prescription synthetic opioid which is being abused at epidemic levels. They are very potent and dangerous and it all starts in your medicine cabinet. When used improperly, these legally prescribed drugs have the same risks as illicit heroin sold on the street. 467,000 people in the United States have struggled with heroin addiction and over 2 million were estimated to abuse opioid painkillers.

Statistics recently released.

Statistics released by the CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that 64,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2016. These were broken down into different drug classes, an example of which are below:

  • Deaths from Heroin overdose 14,000
  • Deaths from Synthetic Opioids 20,000
  • Deaths from Opioid abuse 35,000
  • Deaths from Benzodiazepine drugs 9,000
  • Deaths from Cocaine abuse 10,000
Opioid Abuse
Drugs Involved in U.S. Overdose Deaths – Among the more than 64,000 drug overdose deaths estimated in 2016, the sharpest increase occurred among deaths related to fentanyl and fentanyl analogs (synthetic opioids) with over 20,000 overdose deaths. Source: CDC WONDER

 

Video: Courtesy of NIDA

One solution to Opiate abuse is to use our recognized drug test kits. They will instantly tell you what drugs are being abused. These are urine tests which will help to establish what drugs are being used. Tests for unknown pills and powder can also help establish your suspicions.

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Urine Temperature is Key to Accurate Drug Testing

Urine Temperature

Urine Temperature – The Art of Drug Testing

I was reminded a few days ago about an individual who wanted a drug test for their job. They requested a rapid 10-panel drug test which is fairly standard.

We try to be vigilant when we test and have all the safeguards in place to catch the cheaters. But sometimes a donor will try and sneak through by whatever means possible. In this case, they expressed that they needed to go to the bathroom otherwise they would pee themselves. This is a red flag to us as it generally indicates that they are carrying a fake sample.

Urine Temperature - The Art of Drug TestingLet me explain: Sadly it’s so easy to buy fake urine on the internet and use it to pass a drug test. There are many brands available that can mimic real urine. The sample comes with full instructions on how to use it. It evens comes with a heater pack to bring the sample up to temperature. Brands like Ur-In-Luck promote how easy it is to pass a drug test by substituting their product for real urine.

So the cheater comes in and expresses that they need to go desperately. This tells us that they have set the heater to warm the fake urine up so it passes the test. The industry standard permits urine temperature from 90° to 100° F. At this point we make them wait for as long as possible. Up to 15 minutes before we take them in for testing. Why do we do this?

Urine Temperature – And Catching the Cheaters!

The donor is asked to come into the testing area, we ask them to empty their pockets, wash their hands then go into the cubicle and provide a sample. We listen near the door for the normal signs of urination. Invariably we hear only rustling and no urination sound. The donor promptly comes out with a urine sample and presents it to the administrator for analysis.

This is how we catch them. We test the urine temperature. We do not accept the general rule for temperature which is 90° to 100° F. With many years of experience we know that the temperature is always around 96° F. The body temperature is 98.6° F., so allowing for a small temperature drop 95, 96, 97 or 98° F. is where the urine temperature should be.

The cheaters don’t know this, well not until they read this article. So we check the temperature, invariably it is too hot, anywhere up to 108° F. They make their excuses that they have a fever or they are sick. We have heard it all before. It can also be too low, anything below 93° F. is not acceptable. But what if the temperature is in range and their heater got it right? The key is the smell. Fake urine has no smell. BUSTED!

Urine Temperature
Read the temperature of the sample immediately. 93 to 98F is the acceptable range.

At this point, we tell them the sample is not acceptable and ask them to go sit in the waiting room for at least 30 minutes before they provide a fresh sample. By this time the heater has stopped working and the fake sample they brought with them is insufficient for a second attempt. When we test them again as we did with this individual we see that they are presumed positive for Cocaine. BUSTED again!

Conclusion.

If you are parent or testing at the office, you have to be cuter than they are and see the signs. Monitor every stage of the test, look for body language and always listen at the door for the sound of urination. It doesn’t take long to know who the cheaters are even before their tested. Use a specimen cup with a temperature strip affixed to it and don’t accept excuses for why the urine temperature is out of range.

Urine Temperature

The next time an individual brings in a product like Ur-In-Luck or Quick Fix to beat the test, they will be Out-of-Luck! Happy testing.

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Drug Testing, The Answer to drug abuse?

Drug Testing The Answer to drug abuse

Is Drug testing the answer? Let’s do some analysis.

There are many factors you need to be aware of when testing for drug abuse. We all want to identify anyone abusing particularly if this person is operating safety-sensitive equipment. This could be a motor vehicle or any equipment that could endanger other people’s lives. We also want to identify anyone who is on the path to recovery, taking treatment to sobriety. That may all seem obvious, but how do we know what to test for and when?

Are you testing for all drugs of abuse?

Administrators in the workplace or rehabilitation facilities are doing a great job testing for drugs. But do they know the whole story? If they are testing for five major drug classes then maybe not. A standard five-panel test typically detects opiates, cocaine, amphetamines, marijuana, and phencyclidine. If someone is being tested for Meth or Methamphetamine, then a standard five-panel test will not pick it up.

In conclusion:

Is Drug Testing The Answer? Well, there are important things to consider. If the administrator determines the person in question is clean they can go on with their duties without any further questions. The consequences of missing an abuser may be catastrophic, be sure the test you are using tests for the drugs that need. Is drug testing the answer? In our view, if administered correctly the answer is YES, it will deter abusers and make our world a safer place for everyone.

Here are our two recommendations if you are not sure.

10 panel drug test cup

11 panel drug test for employees

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What are Drug Test Cup Kits?

What are Drug Test Cup Kits

What are Drug Test Cup Kits

Introduction.

Customers often ask us why there are different types of drug test kits and why urine is the preferred method for testing. Back in the 60’s, the military recognized an increase in the use of heroin among its personnel who served in the Vietnam War and implemented a drug testing program on troops returning from the front line. We will discuss why we prefer cup drug test kits later in this article. It was then expanded to personnel who were on active duty and became the first large-scale drug testing regime.

In the 70’s, the US government decided to address the problems related to drug abuse and created an office to coordinate with prevention education, rehabilitation, treatment, training in all the federal agencies.

Workplace drug testing began to increase in the 80’s as a way of ensuring employees were drug-free. The scientific validity of drug-testing resulted in litigation because there were no standards. The US Government decided to take action to address this in 1986 when President Reagan issued an executive order announcing the Federal Drug-Free Workplace Program. All government agencies were required to develop plans for achieving this. In 1987 an expansion to this order was developed to establish a comprehensive standard for all aspects of laboratory drug testing.

What are Drug Test Cup KitsWhat are Drug Test Cup Kits and why they’re preferred?

Drug test Cup kits are the clean and preferred option for testing. They contain multiple urine drug screening panels which can test up to 14 different drugs simultaneously. The cup checks for temperature accuracy, establishing the temperature is within an acceptable range. This is an important step prior to the drug test. Cups also include the most important test which establishes the integrity of the urine sample.

These are the most common tests for drugs of abuse: amphetamine, methamphetamine, marijuana, metabolite, cocaine, opiates, phencyclidine (PCP), barbiturates, benzodiazepines, methadone, propoxyphene, and oxycodone.

The rapid instant drug test (Immunoassay)

In the early days of drug testing, workplaces outsourced employee testing to the laboratories. In 1975 scientists developed a non-laboratory drug test called an immunoassay. This was a rapid test to screen individuals for signs of drug abuse and could be used on-site. However early immunoassays* caused problems with false positive results and cross-reactions. But the birth of on-site workplace testing had begun.

*Immunoassays are reagent tests that are formulated to recognize analytes within specific drug classes and are set to determine thresholds of substance use and abuse. These thresholds (or cut-off levels) were set by standards conceived by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration. SAMSHA and are now the standard throughout the United States.

Workplace drug testing

Urine sample collection procedures need to strike a balance between trusting clients and ensuring that specimens were not contaminated or falsified. Inconsistencies in method and management caused problems, many of which resulted in lawsuits. But fast and accurate drug testing enabled employers to make informed hiring or return-to-work decisions and this quickly and became a convenient way of testing.

Employers asked what are drug test cup kits? They soon realized that this was the way forward and quickly adopted this type of test. They are easy to use, produced quick, accurate results and best of all the test was fitted inside the test cup. This provided administrators with a clean and cost-effective method to test their employees.

How to beat a drug test.

Information about how to beat the drug test has become widely available on the web. Sites advertise overpriced products that can be added to urine specimens to absorb toxins. Substitute urine is also used to beat the test. It is used instead of their sample, however, it can easily be detected as fake as it has NO SMELL. Substitute urine was originally developed for labs to calibrate their equipment but is now available from many sources. There are herbal remedies that can be consumed a few hours before testing to cleanse the urine as well. In our experience, most of these have little effect. If you are vigilant and follow a strict administration policy, then it is possible to determine whether the sample provided is, in fact, legitimate and not adulterated.

The drug test.

What are drug test cup kits all about? In order to ascertain whether an individual has used drugs of abuse or not is not always clear. Urine has been and remains the most widely used body fluid specimen for routine testing. Drug testing is commonly employed to check for the presence of many drugs. It is now a routine practice for the workplace to have drugs testing programs that use the rapid drug test cup kits (immunoassay*) as an initial testing methodology.

This initial process is used to identify and separate donor samples from those that are negative and those that are presumed positive. Presumed positives are sent for confirmation to a lab. For on-site testing, the employee is provided with the specimen collection cup. The employee provides a urine sample directly into the cup. The employee is then asked to secure the lid tightly and hand it back to the administrator. The administrator can now determine very quickly whether the sample is negative or positive and whether the sample has been adulterated or not.  Non-negative or presumed positive specimens are sent to a certified SAMHSA lab for confirmation testing. All confirmed non-negatives can be sent to a Medical Review Officer for review.

Conclusion.

Cup drug test kits are manufactured for a reason. They can do so much more when testing for drugs and are likely to identify the abuser more often. In conclusion, if it’s not a cup drug test kit, it’s likely the donor will escape detection and pass their drug test. The question is, do you want that to happen in your workplace. The potential for abusers being around safety-sensitive equipment and hurting someone whilst ‘high’ could be catastrophic. Be warned, spend the extra few dollars and save yourself thousands.