How To Find The Best Drug Testing Near You
What Is A Drug Test?
Also known as drug screening, are medically conducted tests used to look for the presence of illegal or prescription drugs in your body. There are different ways to conduct that drug tests depending on the types of drugs being detected.
Urine tests
These are by far the most commonly used types of drug screenings, where the doctor collects a small urine sample. It can either be a 5-panel or a 10-panel test.
• A 5-panel test screens for the commonly abused drugs, including Marijuana, Cocaine, Opiates, Phencyclidine, and Amphetamines.
• A 10-panel test for up to 10drugs including Marijuana, Cocaine, Opiates, Phencyclidine, Amphetamines, Oxycodone, Methadone, Methamphetamine, Barbiturates, and Benzodiazepines.
Blood tests
These involve the collection of a blood sample, and they are the most accurate methods of drug screening. Doctors can use them to test even alcohol taken 24 hours prior. The test also helps detect nicotine, cocaine, marijuana, opiates, amphetamine, and methamphetamines.
Hair follicle tests
These are mainly used to detect drugs taken over five days ago and can detect drugs even after 90 days of use. It detects marijuana, cocaine, opiates, phencyclidine, and methamphetamine.
Saliva test
This detects recently used drugs, and its results are fast. You can either spit in a cup or have a saliva swab. It detects marijuana, alcohol, cocaine, methamphetamine, and amphetamine taken within a few days.
Breathalyzer testing
This mostly detects alcohol taken a few hours before the test.
Why You Need A Drug Test
• Employment- You may need a test before you get hired or as a routine in your company to ensure you do not use drugs while working.
• Sports participation- Before you participate in any game or sport, you need to get a test to ensure that you are not under any performance enhancement drugs.
• Forensic or legal purposes- Drug tests are also done as part of a court case after an accident or crime.
• Traveling- Before getting a visa or passport, you need to have a test.
• Opioid use monitoring- If you are under prescribed opioid use for chronic pain, your doctor needs to conduct a test to ensure you are taking the right amount.
How Do I Find Drug Testing Near Me ?
If you want to get tested for drugs or want a company that will test your employees regularly, you have to do your research and visit each of the centers individually. That will help you interact with the doctor, see the state of the center and the equipment they use.
Some of the factors that you should consider before choosing a center include;
Customizable services
Look for a place that has the option of tailoring their services to your needs instead of those that have a one-fits-all service type. That is because your needs differ from those of other people or businesses.
Consider the categories of testing they offer, in case you need different categories at different times. You should also consider choosing a facility that offers advice and education on drug abuse if you are a business owner.
That helps not only identify the employees under the influence but also reduce the abuse of drugs.
Compliance with regulations
You do not want to get tested in a facility that does not follow the regulations given by the necessary governing bodies.
In some sectors like transportation, the alcohol and drug testing regulations and requirements keep changing, and you have to ensure the facility you choose keeps up with the. Otherwise, you could face heavy penalties from the government.
Advanced technologies
For accurate results and proper handling and storage of your results, go for a facility that has the latest technologies like;
• Testing solutions assimilated with other screening solutions for a better view of the employees’ and applicants’ screening information.
• Electronic documentation for each step in the process.
• Testing technologies that allow easier sample collection methods and that can tests drugs taken a long time before the test.
Expertise and experience
Testing for drugs requires a set of special skills and knowledge, especially when conducting the tests using blood and hair samples. Getting tested by an unqualified person could lead not only to inaccurate results but also injury during sample collection.
You also have to look at how long the facility has been testing for drugs. That way, you are sure that they have mastered the art of conducting the tests.
Certified labs
Ensure that the labs where doctors test your samples have certification from the Substance Abuse and mental Health Services Administration.
Those labs normally have a certification from the United States Department of health, showing that they finished the National Laboratory Certification Program.
Location
You do not want to travel a long way just to get tested for drugs, which is why you should consider a facility that is close to your home or place of work.
If you have a business, look for a facility that provides in-house testing, and ensure they have other locations within proximity to all your employees. If you want to do onsite testing, find a facility that is willing to send its employees over to your location.
Cost
The cost of the tests may differ depending on some factors like;
• Type of test you want to be done.
• The number of people being tested.
• The number of panels in the tests.
The average price of a test is around $20- $200, but that costs help you save more money than you would have spent in case of a drug-related accident.
Reviews and references
You can ask the facility manager for some contacts of people they have worked with before, just to make sure their services are what they claim. Legit and transparent facilities will not hesitate or refuse to give you the contacts.
You could also look for them on social media and read some of the reviews from previous customers. If you have a friend who has gotten the test or whose employees get tested regularly, you could ask them for referrals.
If you do not want to go through the hustle of looking from facility to facility to determine the best, you could Google ‘Drug Testing Near Me’ and look at the best-rated facilities within your location.