Conditional release prisoners may also want to understand how to detox before a compulsory test. Lastly, young adults or teenagers who undergo parents’ tests are likely to search for ways to accelerate drug detox.
How does the Drug Test Work?
Drug screenings work by utilizing chemical processes, then sampling biological components to detect the existence of illegal substances.
Also, they can identify metabolites, which are waste traces of drugs broken down or processed by the body.
Drug test results will vary depending on various factors. These include the drug an individual uses, the screening administered, the dose of drugs consumed, and the period of drug use.
Types of Drug Tests
Many types of drug screenings are available, with each having its strengths and weaknesses. These include:
- Urine drug tests
This test can identify a few illegal substances, including their presence for several days after use. The only exception is marijuana since it can stay in the body for about two months, depending on ingestion.
- Oral Saliva tests
These are usually easy and convenient to obtain from a person. Based on the quality of the test kit, saliva might detect drugs before the traces reach the urine. Therefore this test is only essential when identifying the current influence of substance abuse.
- Blood and breath tests
These can also verify whether an individual has consumed illicit substances recently. Their main disadvantage is they are more effective in detecting current substance abuse instead of long-term addiction. For instance, tests performed to detect alcohol and drugs do not remain in blood and breath samples for long.
- Some hair follicle tests
These can detect drugs up to 90 days after use. However, research shows that substances such as hair dyes, bleaches and hygiene might mask the results.
Do Drug Detox Screenings Work?
Although drug screenings have technologically advanced, there is not a single screening that can currently detect the presence of all illegal substances. Additionally, test processing laboratories are improving at recognizing and screening out products meant to hide or skew test results.
The most effective methods of identifying a person’s drug abuse include random drug tests. However, this kind of invasive testing may violate an individual’s rights, be unlawful, or produce a feeling of mistrust.
Therefore, the only guaranteed way of passing a drug test is to withdraw from drug use for some time. However, at times withdrawal is not a possible option due to chances of relapsing after sobriety period. In this case, one should know it only takes approximately 45 days for the body to rinse out the drugs’ leftovers. So, a drug detox test after this period is unnecessary.
The internet is full of products such as detox drinks and supplements which describe how they can mask residues of illegal drugs in urine. However, not all these advertised products prove to work. More research is also essential to determine whether there are valid detox products that can pass a substance screening.
