Frequently Asked Questions

Drug & Alcohol Screens

1. Q: How are drugs tested in a person's system?
   A: "Blood, urine or saliva, with the most common method being urine.
   
   
2. Q: What drugs are commonly tested for in a drug screen?
   A: Amphetamines, Cannabinoids, Cocaine, Opiates, PCP
   
   
3. Q: What does PCP mean?
   A: PCP is an abbreviation of phencyclidine which is an arylcyclohexylamine. One street name is "angel dust".
   
   
4. Q: How long do drugs stay in a person's system to be detected in a urine test?
   A: This depends on the type of drug. Cocaine typically remains in the system the shortest period of time (12-48 hours) to marijuana, which can be detected for 4-14 days for frequent users and up to 8 weeks for chronic users.
   
   
5. Q: What is the most commonly misused illicit drug?
   A: THC (Marijuana) and Cocaine are the most commonly misused illicit drugs. Alcohol, however is the most abused drug in the work place.
   
   
6. Q: Is it better to do a hair collection to test for drugs?
   A: This depends on the drug being tested. For cocaine detection, it is a very useful test. Typically, a hair drug test can give longer history of the usage of the drug, ranging up to 90 days for marijuana. It will NOT indicate exactly when the drug was last used.
   
   
7. Q: How long does it take to get the results of a drug test?
   A: Depending on the breadth of the drug test at the laboratory, results will typically be available 3-5 business days after a test. Negative results are typically available within 24 hours, but positive test results require the involvement of the Medical Review Officer which can take a bit longer.
   
   
8. Q: What does "zero tolerance" drug testing mean?
   A: Zero-Tolerance Drug Testing was developed by Aegis Laboratory in Nashville, TN to support businesses, colleges/universities, high schools, and families that share a "Zero Tolerance" philosophy:
   
   No illegal or non-medical use of mind or body altering substances.
   
   Zero Tolerance Drug Testing is the most accurate drug testing method available. Aegis uses state of the art screening technology that is superior to other laboratories and onsite testing devices. Only Zero-Tolerance gives you the confidence to know that your organization is truly drug free!
   
   Zero Tolerance is superior to routine testing offered by other laboratories AND on site testing devices in the following ways:
   
   Detects drugs at lower test thresholds.
   
   Detects drugs such as: Ecstasy, Eve, MDA, PMA, OxyContin, Lortab, Percocet, Vicodin, and many others that go undetected by onsite devices and routine testing offered by other laboratories.
   
   Detects drugs for a longer period of time: generally 2-3 times longer than onsite devices and routine testing.
   
   More resistant to adulteration. Lower test thresholds combined with advanced screening technology make Zero Tolerance unaffected or significantly less affected by products available at nutrition centers and on the Internet designed to "Beat the Drug Test".
   
   
9. Q: How accurate are quick screen drug tests?
   A: Quick screen drug tests are a great way to test for drugs. Results are available within 5 minutes. They are approximately 99% accurate. It is recommended for all positive test results to be confirmed in a laboratory.
   
   
10. Q: What is the legal intoxication level for alcohol?
    A: .08%
    
    
11. Q: What are the benefits of implementing a drug free workplace program?
    A: There is no cost to implement a comprehensive drug free workplace program. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, alcohol and drug abuse has been estimated to cost American businesses roughly 81 billion dollars in lost productivity in just one year, 37 billion due to premature death and 44 billion due to illness. Of these combined costs, 86 percent are attributed to drinking. Employers have seen a decrease in workplace accidents, employee mistakes, absenteeism, employee turnover, and in their workers' compensation claims. Other benefits are less tangible, such as improved workplace environment, employee morale and customer satisfaction. Businesses in some states (Tennessee and Florida) may also qualify for a 5 percent discount on their workers' compensation premiums.
    
    
12. Q: What does THC mean?
    A: THC is an abbreviation for Tetrahydrocannibinol, the primary metabolite of Marijuana. Marijuana is a hallucinogenic agent derived from the leaves, flowers or seeds of the hemp plant. In general, the production and "curing" of the marijuana plant into its useable form closely resembles that of tobacco. Marijuana is almost always smoked and inhaled into the lungs where it is quickly metabolized (or changed) by the body into tetrahydrocannabinol which is excreted in the urine.
    
    
13. Q: If a drug test is positive, can you determine how long ago the drug was taken and over what period of time?
    A: No. Drug of abuse testing by blood, urine, or saliva can only detect whether or not a specific drug or drug metabolite is present at the time the test is performed. While there are very broad estimates (see chart above) as to how long a particular drug may have been in the system, no fluid based drug test, regardless of method, is intended to include a time variable. Many factors unique to the individual being tested determine the actual half-life of the particular drug including such variables as age, weight, sex, metabolic rate, overall health, amount of drug consumed over what period of time, etc. Therefore, no conclusions can be drawn as to when a particular drug was taken or how much was consumed with these types of drug of abuse tests. A forensic hair core analysis for drugs can be utilized to determine historical drug use up to 90 days. See the PDT-90ª forensic drug testing service.
    
    
14. Q: What is Ecstasy?
    A: Ecstasy (MDMA) has recently become a popular recreational drug among teenagers and young adults. Ecstasy is refined processed form of amphetamine with a chemical structure closely resembling methamphetamine. Any test with a target screen for methamphetamine should detect Ecstasy.
    
    
15. Q: What drugs could interfere and cause a positive morphine (opiates) test?
    A: Codeine and Meperidine are structurally related to morphine therefore causing positive results. Codeine is a commonly prescribed pain medication and is also the active ingredient in some prescription cough medicines. These forms of codeine can also be addictive and abused.
    
    
16. Q: Can secondhand marijuana smoke or poppy seeds cause a positive test?
    A: Laboratories utilize conservative cutoff levels when conducting drug tests. Under normal circumstances, a person would not consume enough marijuana from secondhand smoke or eat enough poppy seeds to to reach these cutoff levels to trigger a positive drug test.
    
    
17. Q: What identification is needed to be able to do a drug test?
    A: You must have a photo identification (state issued drivers license, school id, work id). Minors may be identified by a parent.
    
    
18. Q: How much hair is needed for a hair collection?
    A: 120 strands of hair collected from the crown of the head.