From the category archives:

Drugs & Testing

Hair Testing Advantages

by Aaron Atkinson on August 9, 2010

Quest Diagnostics is committed to providing your company with a complete array of drug testing options. We often receive questions from customers regarding alternative testing, specifically hair testing services. If you are not already aware, or are considering an alternative testing methodology, you might be interested to know that hair testing for drugs of abuse is available from and performed by Quest Diagnostics.

blog_hair_sampleThere are a number of advantages that hair testing offers over alternative testing methods:

• This is the only testing method that provides up to a 90-day detection window of drug use, making it an ideal option for pre-employment and random testing.

• Our hair testing system is FDA-cleared, and it is an accurate lab-based test.

• Specimen collection is observed, which significantly reduces the possibility of adulteration or substitution.

• Fast turnaround times are available. Negative results are reported within 24 hours of specimen reception and positive results are confirmed within 48-72 hours.

Compared with urine specimen testing, hair testing provides nearly twice the number of positive results due largely to a much longer detection window. This testing method finds its niche in a testing setting where long-term use and dependency are in question. Hair testing will not, however, detect new or infrequent use as it does take time for testable levels of the drug to enter the hair specimen.

Hair testing can be used to detect the following classes of drugs: amphetamines (including Ecstasy), cocaine and metabolites, marijuana, opiates and phencyclidine (PCP).

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Online Literature Library

by Aaron Atkinson on July 28, 2010

We have more than 25 pieces of online literature available for your review. Click this link and search from our library of PDFs.

If you’re searching for drug testing information, you’re certain to find something here.

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Three Ways to Reduce Drug Test Cheating

July 20, 2010 Drugs & Testing

Try this litmus test, type “beat a drug test” into Google™ and see how many results come back. The number should be greater than a million.
We recently came across an interesting story and video from a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania news station. The report deals with products designed to help drug users mask their drug use in [...]

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Nicotine Testing with Cotinine – Webinar

July 19, 2010 Drugs & Testing

Cotinine testing in wellness programs is gaining in popularity as the trend of requiring smoking employees to pay different health plan premiums becomes more prevalent. Cotinine is usually the test of choice to evaluate tobacco use or exposure to tobacco smoke because it is stable and is only produced when nicotine is metabolized. Different types [...]

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Medical Marijuana and Your Workplace

July 14, 2010 Drugs & Testing

A number of states have medical marijuana laws that permit people with legally-obtained prescriptions to use marijuana to treat various illnesses. The debate regarding whether marijuana helps people in those situations rages on throughout the country. However, the debate regarding whether marijuana negatively impacts workplace safety and productivity was resolved many years ago, and insomuch the [...]

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Missouri Governor Signs K2 Bill

July 6, 2010 Drugs & Testing

Today, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon will sign a bill making K2 a controlled substance, with possession punishable by incarceration or fines.
Nixon will sign Missouri House Bill 1472, which will make possession of K2 a crime. Any person who possesses a controlled substance of more than 35 grams will be guilty of [...]

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“Herbal Incense”: K2, Spice and “Synthetic Marijuana”

June 15, 2010 Drugs & Testing

Overview
“Herbal incense” has gained increasing media attention of late, as an “alternative” or “legal high.” It goes by a number of names – K2, Spice, Genie, Yucatan Fire and many others. In these products, plant material that does not contain marijuana or other psychoactive plants, is surreptitiously sprayed with one or more chemicals. While [...]

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