What Drugs Does Workplace Drug Screening Detect
What drugs do tests detect?
Testing conducted according to English guidelines checks for five illicit drugs plus, in some cases, alcohol (ethanol, ethyl alcohol, booze). These five illicit drugs are:
- Amphetamines (meth, speed, crank, ecstasy)
- THC (cannabinoids, marijuana, hash)
- Cocaine (coke, crack)
- Opiates (heroin, opium, codeine, morphine)
- Phencyclidine (PCP, angel dust)
However, most private employers are not limited in the number of substances they can test for and may include drugs that individuals legitimately and/or therapeutically take based on a physician’s prescription. Although most private employers can test for any combination of drugs, there are commonly selected “panels.”
The typical 8-Panel Test includes the above-mentioned substances plus:
- Barbiturates (phenobarbital, butalbital, secobarbital, downers)
- Benzodiazepines (tranquilizers like Valium, Librium, Xanax)
- Methaqualone (Quaaludes)
The typical 10-Panel Test includes the 8-Panel Test plus:
- Methadone (often used to treat heroin addiction)
- Propoxyphene (Darvon compounds)
Testing can also be done for:
- Hallucinogens (LSD, mushrooms, mescaline, peyote)
- Inhalants (paint, glue, hairspray)
- Anabolic steroids (synthesized, muscle-building hormones)
- Hydrocodone (prescription medication known as Lortab, Vicodin, Oxycodone)
- MDMA ( commonly known as Ecstasy)
How long are drugs in one’s system?
Drugs have certain “detection windows”—the amount of time after ingestion during which evidence of their use can be detected by a drug test. Though it might not be wise to publicize detection windows and invite employees who may use drugs to push their limits, when implementing drug testing, it is important to understand them. For instance, alcohol is absorbed and eliminated more quickly than other drugs. This is why post-accident testing procedures often require testing for alcohol to occur within two hours. Other drugs are eliminated from the system at different rates and thus detectable for different periods of time, often long after the drug’s effect has worn off. The following are estimates of the length of time that certain drugs are detectable:
- Alcohol – 1 oz. for 1.5 hours
- Amphetamines – 48 hours
- Barbiturates – 2-10 days
- Benzodiazepines – 2-3 weeks
- Cocaine – 2-10 days
- Heroin Metabolite – less than 1 day
- Morphine – 2-3 days
- LSD – 8 hours
- Marijuana – casual use, 3-4 days; chronic use, several weeks
- Methamphetamine – 2-3 days
- Methadone – 2-3 days
- Phencyclidine (PCP) – 1 week
- Why do employers drug test? (opens new page)
- How is drug testing conducted and how accurate is it? (opens new page)
- Who is allowed access to the results of a drug test? (opens new page)
- When are drug tests conducted? (opens new page)
- What are the different methods of drug testing? (opens new page)
- What drugs do tests detect?
- How long are drugs in your system?
- How does a drug test determine if a person has been using substances? What are cut-off levels, and what do they determine? (opens new page)
- Other considerations when implementing drug testing. (opens new page)
Contact Objective Health
Get in touch with Objective Health to see how we can help your business with its Workplace Drug Testing.
Objective Health provides all forms of drug testing services, including the revolutionary Fingerprint Drug Testing, a clean, fast, hygienic, affordable and portable drug-testing system. Call us on 0191 4862425 to arrange a free demonstration or send us a message online and we will call you back.
You can also download a copy of our Fingerprint Drug Testing Guide here for more information.