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Drug tests are a common occurrence and are needed for various reasons; your new employer may request a drug test, the court orders you to take one to regain custody of your kids, you may be entering rehab and need to be clean first, or any other reason. But have you actually had drug testing explained? Do you know how they work or how to read them correctly?

Whether this is your first drug test or your hundredth, you may not be familiar with how they work, which may lead to confusion and complications down the road. If you don’t get the right results or take the test correctly, you may run into legal or relational issues. It’s important to be well-informed if ordered to take a drug test to get the most accurate results, which can affect your recovery and your future.

Master Center has over a dozen experienced medical providers and assistants who accurately administer and read drug tests to ensure the best possible results for thousands of patients, and they’re here to provide you with the information you need.

Our goal is to ensure you’re best informed and prepared when taking a drug test, so that you can get the proper help and recovery outcomes.

Everything About Drug Testing Explained

There are a few important things to know when taking a drug test:

• The types of drug tests.

• Why drug tests are needed.

• What the results of a drug test mean.

Let’s dive deeper into these components of drug testing.

There Are 2 Main Types of Drug Tests

The 2 most common types of drug tests that administrators use are the urine drug test and immunoassays. Knowing these types is crucial in determining what the person, judge, or other administrator is looking for and how you can best read the results.

1. Urine Drug Test (UDS)

The most common form of drug testing is a urine drug test (UDS). It analyzes your urine for the presence of certain illegal drugs and prescription medications, such as methamphetamines, cocaine, marijuana, PCP, methadone, opioids, and many others.

You may be familiar with this type of test, even if you’ve never taken drugs. Normal doctor checkups and other medical specialists—like urologists—may administer them as part of routine visits. The way you take this test is by simply urinating in a cup and giving it to the analysts, and the results are fairly quick and accurate.

If you’ve been ordered to take this test type, just follow the instructions provided by the administrator carefully for the most accurate results.

2. Immunoassay Test

Another common type of drug test is called an immunoassay. It’s cost-effective and gives results fairly quickly. It’s important to note that they don’t measure the drugs themselves; rather, they detect how the drug interacts with the body’s immune system.

However, the immunoassay test has drawbacks. For example, it doesn’t pick up on all opioids; it can sometimes give false positives, which occur when the results come back positive for drugs, but there has been no drug use. This is crucial to know when given this type of test, as the risk of false positives can have highly negative consequences.

Additionally, the people who administer this drug testing usually give the results in terms of “positive” or “negative” results. Many instant immunoassay tests don’t show the measurements of the drug, and instead, the results appear on a strip that turns different colors to indicate the presence of drugs. Be sure to pay attention to this when given the results, as it can also indicate false positives.

Drug Tests Don’t Always Indicate Suspicion

It’s important to remember that just because you may be required to take a drug test, it doesn’t mean you’re in trouble or that there’s always suspicion. There are several common scenarios where a drug test might be necessary.

Primary Care & Emergency Room Settings

Your primary care doctor may order a drug test if they suspect you have an addiction. In other cases, an emergency room doctor may also request this test if you’ve displayed disoriented or delirious behavior. This could be a sign of drug use—possibly nonconsensual—so they often check for safety reasons.

Most Employers & Companies

Employers often require potential employees to take a urine drug test before they can be hired, especially in positions that require high risk and focus. For instance, an air traffic controller or truck driver who uses drugs could put the safety of many people in danger. Testing may also lower the risk of on-the-job accidents, which save both money and lives.

Drug & Alcohol Rehab Centers

Drug and alcohol rehab centers test patients regularly, whether they’re inpatient or outpatient facilities. This helps ensure that people receiving treatment for drug or alcohol abuse stay sober, prevent relapse risk, and encourage long-term recovery. Additionally, in some cases, if you’re on probation or parole for a drug- or alcohol-related offense, the officer in charge of your case may request random drug tests to verify your sobriety.

At-Home Settings

Finally, drug tests can be used in home settings. For instance, a family member may want a loved one to take a drug test to prove that they’re not using drugs or alcohol. Maybe they’re worried about their rehab program and want to ensure that their treatment is actually working for them.

If you plan to use an at-home test, it’s a good idea to consult with your family doctor or another health professional beforehand, as they can advise you on how to follow up if the test is positive.

How to Read the Results of a Drug Test

Now that you’re aware of how drug testing works and why someone may take one, what do the results look like, what do they mean, and what do you do next?

When reading drug test results, you’re essentially looking for a control line and a test line. The control line will always be there, and the test line is usually the one that’s either visible or not visible during a test, depending on whether there are drugs in your system. You’ll see a control line at the top of each test strip within the device, and a test line below. If the test line is present, there are drugs in your system; if the line isn’t visible, there aren’t drugs in your system.

However, it’s important to note that if there are any attempts at tampering with the test, like adding bleach or other liquids, the control lines won’t form, which indicates that you’ve messed with the drug test. This can lead to much more trouble for you, too, so it’s best not to attempt this and just take the test as normal.

What Does a Faint Line on a Drug Test Mean?

A common result is a faint line on a drug test, which can worry the person taking the test. A faint line on a drug test may indicate that the person used a substance in the past, but there’s not enough in their system to qualify as a positive, and the result must count as negative. This may also indicate that their system has processed most but not all the substance, and an additional test may be needed.

The Length of Time Drugs Stay in Your System

Different drugs are detectable in urine for different lengths of time. As a guide, this is how long each substance stays in your system:

• Alcohol – 1 hour per unit consumed

• Amphetamines – 2 to 6 days

• Barbiturates – 3 to 8 days

• Benzodiazepines – 2 to 14 days

• Cannabis (THC) – 14 to 28 days, but one-off use can be as little as 3 to 5 days

• Cocaine – 2 to 5 days

• Methadone – 2 to 7 days

• Methamphetamines – 2 to 6 days

• Opiates – 2 to 5 days

• PCP – 2 to 6 days

Factors, including age, height, sex, weight, purity of drug, dose, how often the drug is used, etc., will all play a role in how long drugs remain detectable in a urine sample, so keep this in mind when taking a drug test.

The Importance of Having Drug Testing Explained

Drug tests can happen anywhere to anyone, no matter if they’ve used drugs or not, so it’s important to be informed about how they work. Whether you’re starting rehab, getting a yearly checkup, or worried about a loved one, having drug testing explained in a digestible way can be significantly useful in recovery success, and our specialists are here to help.

Master Center offers urine drug screenings for patients on a randomized basis throughout their treatment program. These tests ensure that our patients are following their program, encourage accountability, and monitor progress and relapse.

Our experienced medical specialists take the time needed to ensure the most accurate, reliable results, so that patients are best set up for success. Reach out to us to schedule an appointment to get your life back on track or refer a client to get someone started on the road to recovery today.

About Master Center

Master Center is a groundbreaking addiction treatment program headquartered in Glen Allen, Va. Based on a vision of comprehensive outpatient care, Master Center was launched in 2016 and now includes locations throughout the Commonwealth.

Master Center offers a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach rarely seen in the outpatient setting, staffed by experienced addiction physicians, psychiatrists, counselors, therapists, and peer recovery coaches.