Drug tests are used by companies large and small, various organizations, the court system, and even individuals who need a personal drug test for some reason. But with so many different kinds of drug tests out there, which is the one that is right for your situation? Taking a closer look can help show you a few basic points that will help you determine what is the right one for you.
Substances
First, you’ll need to understand that different drug screenings can test for different substances. For example, a 5-panel drug screen will test for 5 key drugs, while 7 or 10 panels will test for 7 to 10 different drugs depending on the option you select. In some instances, only a single drug may be test for – the EtG alcohol test is an example of this, and in it only alcohol is looked for. But the EtG alcohol test is often used in conjunctions with other, larger screenings. In short, figure out what kind of drugs you are most concerned about testing for and choose a test that includes those substances.
Type Of Test
There are several different types of options here as well.
- Blood Drug Test – The blood test is a comprehensive option that can test for multiple drugs. This test is expensive and invasive. Blood test is accurate but not often used because of the invasive blood draw.
- Urine Drug Screen – A urine drug test can check for as many as 12 different drugs plus alcohol, and is a fairly easy, affordable option that is widely used by employers and other organizations due to its lower cost and fast turnaround times.
- Hair Strand Test – The most expensive of the three, but the most accurate and the one that can go the furthest amount of time back in the history of the subject. A hair strand test can turn up excellent results, but its higher cost means that it’s not always the preferred option.
You’ll need to consider accuracy, turnaround times, and overall costs of the drug tests listed above and then determine which is the right match for your specific needs. You have plenty of options, and finding the right test is a more straightforward process than you might think.
