Professional Drug Testing Services
Frequently Asked Questions
QUESTIONS:
- At what age should I sit down with my children to discuss the dangers of drugs?
- At what age should I begin randomly drug testing my child?
- What should I do if my child tests positive for drugs or alcohol?
- Is there a way to get a sample without my child's knowledge?
- In a multi-drug test, how will I know which drug tests positive?
- I am an employee (for example, truck driver, merchant mariner, pilot, etc) covered under the DOT regulations. Can you give me specific information on the DOT regulations?
- What percentage of random tests should be conducted each year for an employer to maintain an effective deterrence and detection program?
- What are the cut-off levels for drugs in your tests?
- What are the drug detection times in the body?
- Will substances that I use regularly like vitamins, penicillin, aspirin and caffeine affect the results in any way?
- If a drug test shows positive, can it be proved how long ago the drug was taken?
- Do you think I could test positive for marijuana (THC) from exposure to second-hand smoke?
- Can one test be used for all the possible drugs of abuse?
- Is drug testing at home really that simple?
- What do you mean by a rapid drug test?
- Why should I use a rapid drug test?
- Which drugs can be found with your tests?
- How do your rapid drug tests work?
- What is the difference between a Dip Card Test and an Integrated Cup Test?
- How accurate are your drug-testing products?
- If I receive a positive drug test result, what should I do?
- Is there a minimum order that I must place?
- What is the shelf life of your drug testing products?
- Do you accept payment by credit card?
Kids and Drugs
Drugs in the Workplace
Drug Tests
Orders and Shipping
ANSWERS:
Kids and Drugs
Q: At what age should I sit down with my children to discuss the dangers of drugs?
Answer: It's never too early to share how you feel about drugs and what your expectations are in terms of zero tolerance of drug use by your children. A study showed that 74% of 4th graders wished their parents would speak with them about drugs.
Q: At what age should I begin randomly drug testing my child?
Answer: Every family situation is different. Some children are experimenting with drugs as young as 8 and 9 years old. We suggest that a program of random drug testing is implemented by the age of 12.
Q: What should I do if my child tests positive for drugs or alcohol?
Answer: First of all, stay calm. You are in control and now have the proof that your child is using drugs. Our program manual teaches you how to respond to a positive test. We're with you every step of the way. Should your child need counseling or treatment, we have the resources to help you take the next steps.
Q: Is there a way to get a sample without my child's knowledge?
Answer: Some children may refuse to comply with taking a drug test. We address this issue in our program manual. As a last resort, we do offer parents a method to test their child without the child's knowledge.
Q: In a multi-drug test, how will I know which drug tests positive?
Answer: Each panel shows the positive or negative result for a particular drug or drug category. So you know at a glance which drug you have tested positive for if there is one red line on the test strip.
Drugs in the Workplace
Q: I am an employee (for example, truck driver, merchant mariner, pilot, etc) covered under the DOT regulations. Can you give me specific information on the DOT regulations?
Answer: Please call DOT directly at 202-366-3784 or visit its website at www.dot.gov/ost/dapc.
Q: What percentage of random tests should be conducted each year for an employer to maintain an effective deterrence and detection program?
Answer: There is no established optimum percentage of random tests that will ensure the most effective deterrence and detection program. Logically, a very small percentage (e.g., 5 percent) may not be sufficient to deter or detect someone abusing an illicit substance, while a very high percentage (e.g., 95 percent) might be much more than is needed to maintain an effective program. The Department of Transportation permits the percentage of random tests to vary depending on the positive rate. In some cases, an industry is permitted to test at a 10 percent random rate while another industry is required to test at a 50 percent rate. Please contact DOT at 202-366-3784 for additional information on its policy.
Drug Tests
Q: What are the cut-off levels for drugs in your tests?
Answer: Our FDA approved tests have the following SAMHSA industry-standard cutoff levels:
DRUG NAME
SYMBOL
Nanograms/ml
Marijuana
THC
50 ng/ml
Cocaine
COC
300 ng/ml
Phencyclidine
PCP
25 ng/ml
Opiates
OPI
2000 ng/ml
Morphine
MOP
300 ng/ml
Amphetamines
AMP
1000ng/ml
Methamphetamines
mAMP
1000 ng/ml
Barbiturates
BAR
300 ng/ml
Benzodiazepines
BZO
300 ng/ml
Methadone
MTD
300 ng/ml
Tricyclic Antidepressants
TCA
30 ng/ml
Buprenorphine
BUP
10ng/ml
Ecstacy
MDMA
500ng/ml
Propoxyphene
PPX
300ng/ml
Oxycodone
OXY
100ng/ml
Q: What are the drug detection times in the body?
Answer: Drug detection times, or the amount of time the drug remains in the body, could vary from drug to drug. Amphetamines (AMP) Benzodiazepines (BZO)
DRUG CATEGORY
DRUG DETECTION TIMES (DAYS)
2-6 Days
Barbituates (BAR)
3-8 Days
2-14 Days
Cocaine (COC)
2-5 Days
Marijuana (THC)
14-30 Days
Metamphetamines (mAMP)
2-6 Days
Methadone (MTD)
2-8 Days
Opiates (OPI & MOP)
2- 5 Days
Oxycodone (OXY)
2-5 Days
Phencyclidine (PCP)
3-8 Days
Tricyclics (TCA)
10 Days
Propoxyphene (PPX)
2-3 Days
Buprenorphine (Suboxone) (BUP)
48 To 72 Hours
Ecstacy (MDMA)
5 To 7 Days
Q: Will substances that I use regularly like vitamins, penicillin, aspirin and caffeine affect the results in any way?
Answer: No - because our rapid drug tests react to drugs and drug metabolites, not to these substances which have a different chemical structure.
Q: If a drug test shows positive, can it be proved how long ago the drug was taken?
Answer: Saliva, urine and blood only show up a positive or negative result, not how long ago a drug has been taken.
Q: Do you think I could test positive for marijuana (THC) from exposure to second-hand smoke?
Answer: No you cannot as the urine concentration, if any, will be way below the cut-off level.
Q: Can one test be used for all the possible drugs of abuse?
Answer: No, it cannot. Each drug needs a specific test. We do offer multi-drug tests – up to 10 drugs can be tested at a time.
Q: Is drug testing at home really that simple?
Answer: Yes, it is. All it takes is a few minutes with our rapid drug testing products.
Q: What do you mean by a rapid drug test?
Answer: A rapid drug test is a diagnostic test that very quickly gives you the results that show whether or not you have the presence of a specific drug in your body.
Q: Why should I use a rapid drug test?
Answer: You can use a rapid drug test to ensure privacy. This is very useful in a variety of situations – at home, school, place of work, pre-employment, after accidents, random testing for drugs, etc.
Q: Which drugs can be found with your tests?
Answer: Our tests can be used to determine the presence of the following drugs of abuse:
Q: How do your rapid drug tests work?
Answer: Rapid drug tests detect the presence of drug metabolites in saliva or urine in minutes. When a detection strip is wetted with a saliva or urine specimen, the specimen reacts with the reagents and antigens on the strip and produces a color reading so you can interpret a positive or negative result.
Q: What is the difference between a Dip Card Test and an Integrated Cup Test?
Answer: The Dip Card is dipped into a urine specimen to obtain results. A cup is a convenient method of testing where the specimen is collected in the cup and tested there as well. There is no handling of the specimen.
Q: How accurate are your drug-testing products?
Answer: Our products are reliable. Our tests are United States FDA-cleared (unless stated otherwise). Laboratory testing has revealed that they are over 95% accurate. However, it is always advisable to get results confirmed by a laboratory.
Q: If I receive a positive drug test result, what should I do?
Answer: Confirm that it is indeed positive through a laboratory test.
Orders and Shipping
Q: Is there a minimum order that I must place?
Answer: No, but you could save by ordering in bulk -- and save money on shipping. Since our products have a long shelf life, you can order them well in advance.
Q: What is the shelf life of your drug testing products?
Answer: The rapid drug test FDA-cleared products have a shelf life of at least 18 months from their manufacturing date. The expiration date is on every individual pack. Do not use beyond this date.
Q: Do you accept payment by credit card?
Answer: Yes, we take most major credit cards.