Blog
What You Need To Know: Testing for Drug Exposure vs. Ingestion
Testing for environmental exposure to illicit drugs is a powerful tool for protecting the welfare of children. Exposure testing is different from typical drug testing, and when properly done, has the potential to reduce the risk of harm to children.
No Metabolite Does NOT Mean No Exposure
Testing labs often apply government workplace testing guidelines to child exposure testing samples. Under workplace guidelines, negative results are reported when drug metabolites are absent in the testing sample, even if the native drug is present.
Child hair and nail samples for exposure testing often do not contain drug metabolites because the child has not ingested illicit substances. Adhering to workplace guidelines can result in false negative reporting for drug exposure, especially when children are involved.
Environmental Exposure
Environmental Exposure testing is most effective in alternative sample types, such as hair and fingernails. For example, hair testing is 3.5x more likely to detect methamphetamine exposure than urine testing. Typical drug testing samples are washed to remove drug biomarkers resulting from exposure. Environmental exposure testing eliminates this step.
– Click here to download the pdf.
- Drug Classes and Neurotransmitters: Amphetamine, Cocaine, and Hallucinogens
- Environmental Exposure Testing for Delta-8 THC, Delta-9 THC, Delta-10 THC, and CBD
- Bromazolam and Synthetic Benzodiazepines
- Winter Weather Delay Update
- Tianeptine
- Revolutionizing DUI Interventions: Wisconsin’s Breakthrough in Biomarker Testing for Impaired Drivers
- 3 FAQs You Should Know About Newborn Drug Testing
- The Brain Chemistry Behind Tolerance and Withdrawal
- March 2024 (1)
- February 2024 (1)
- January 2024 (3)
- December 2023 (1)
- November 2023 (1)
- August 2023 (1)