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Drug testing

Drug testing, you can be sure, is not an exact science. A great number of factors influence testing results. Not all people are alike, nor are the drugs they take alike. Some of the factors that influence test results are: the individual's drug absorption rate, metabolism rate, distribution in the body, excretion rate, drug quantity, drug quality and testing method employed.

Urine testing is probably the most common drug testing procedure used today. Drugs, in order to be detected in the urine must be absorbed, circulated in the blood and deposited in the bladder. This process takes approximately three hours for most drugs--except alcohol--- which can take only 30 minutes. Thus, an individual who was tested just 15 or 20 minutes after using drugs would probably (but not always) test negative unless he was a chronic user who would have identifiable drug residue in his/her urine at all times. Chronic users of marijuana, for example, may test positive for marijuana use several months after use of the drug.

Research conducted by Dr. Werner Baumgartner at the Janus Institute in Los Angeles indicates that human hair cells may be a more practical and accurate way to test for drug use. The chemical properties of most drugs are absorbed and stored in human hair cells for months, possibly even decades after drug use. Keeping in mind that hair grows at a constant rate for most people, perhaps then, hair cut close to the scalp could give a fairly accurate history of drug use for a period of six months. Shampooing, excessive sun and bleach do not appear to have any effect on testing results. Look for an increase in hair analysis drug testing.

Drug Testing Kits and information are available here.

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