This problem has shown no signs of abetting. If anything, it is on the increase and this has placed more demand on those in positions of authority, requiring that they tighten their supervision of those under their care or authority. These include parents, employers and other caregivers.
Why Home Drug Test Is Important
Continuing from our discussion above, there are times when homes testing can be a lifesaver. A parent could suspect that a child is abusing some controlled substances and want to confirm in order to stop the habit, providing the child with the early treatment that may be required. A home testing will come in very handy here.
A person can be facing a pending drug test in the office or prior to employment and need to make certain that their system is totally free of any drug toxins. Such a person can also confirm with a home test.
From the above, a home test can help confirm drug usage so that prompt intervention can commence. It can also confirm that a person is free of drug toxins and will, therefore, pass any drug test, putting the individual’s mind at rest and allowing them to go for their test with confidence.
Types of Home Drug Test
Just as there are different types of drug tests, so also are there different types of home drug tests. The different types of home drug testing include: urine testing, saliva testing, sweat testing, and hair follicle testing.
This is the most commonly used home drug testing method. It has an accuracy of between 97 and 99%. You can also get the result in as little as 15 minutes. The downside to this type of testing is that the urine sample can easily be contaminated and can also degrade with time. The result of the test can be affected by the food, drug or other substances that you take before the test.
Saliva Drug Testing
This is also a very quick acting test because you can get your result within 9 minutes of taking the test. The test is administered in the same way as the urine test so it is easy to take. It, however, has a major downside. It cannot be used to test for drug usage that has exceeded about 48 hours. It is best for checking for drug usage within 24 hours after use.
Sweat Drug Testing
This is not a common home drug testing method. The reason for this is that it is very cumbersome to administer. The subject being tested has to wear a patch for between 1 to 2 weeks before it is then removed and taken for testing. Aside from the fact that the time frame is too long, wearing a patch for that long will certainly be uncomfortable and will also allow for manipulation as the subject can easily remove the patch.
Hair Follicle Drug Testing
This is a very precise type of testing in that it can show details of the drug use. It can show not only drug usage but also the volume of and frequency of usage. There are however two downsides to it. The first is that the result is gotten in between 2 and 7 days and the second is that it cannot be used to test for marijuana usage.
You can get more information on these different types of home drug testing here: http://bestathomedrugtest.com/.
Drugs that Can be Tested for at Home
It will interest you to know that every drug that can be tested for in the lab can also be tested for at home. The simple reason is that the same companies that produce the testing materials for the labs also produce the testing materials for the home kits.
There are however some drugs that cannot yet be accurately tested for both at home and in the lab. These include: bath salts, salvia, and K2 also known as spice.
3 Approaches to Home Drug Testing
There are three ways to approach home drug testing.
- You can use a home kit, administer the test and get your result.
- A second option is to collect the sample you want tested and then send it to the lab for testing.
- You can combine the two approaches above. That is, you get the sample and administer the test at home and then you also send the sample for a confirmatory test with a lab.
Choosing the Right Kind of Home Drug Testing Kit
To decide the type of home drug testing to choose, you need to consider some of the following:
- Why am I doing the home test? If it is for an upcoming office drug test, then choose a test type similar to the one you will face in the office. For example, choose a urine test if you will face a urine test in the office.
- What drugs do you want to test for? For example, if you want to test for the use of marijuana, you should not go for a hair follicle test.
- How far back do you want to check for drug usage? Tests like saliva home testing will show drug usage that has not exceeded about 24 hours. To check for more distant drug usage, look for another appropriate method.
