Imagup General Magazine 2024
Drug panels are tests for testing is there any drug present in the urine, for people who are suspicious that they are using some narcotics, or for those who are already trying to give up on it, but there is still some risk for that. There are also 5-panel, 7-panel, and 8-panel tests, then 10-panel, and its extended version, 12-panel screening. The number shows us how many drugs it’s the patient tested. Also, employers can use these screenings on their employees, by choosing the narcotic range, which is often ecstasy, marijuana, Methadone, cocaine, and so on.
What is in a 10 Panel Drug Test?
As the number says, this test is screening the presence of 10 different types of drugs and opiates. Employers, HR department, and managers are usually ordering this test for the candidates who are “fighting” for some particular position at their company. It’s used mostly with the 10 most common substances that are used in the country. As you can see on Health Street, you can choose which 10 substances you want to be included in the screening, depending on what do you exactly need. Sometimes it may contain alcohol tests, but in general, it includes marijuana, cocaine, amphetamine, methadone, benzodiazepines, methamphetamine, barbiturates, opioids, and additionally, alcohol and tobacco presence in the urine. In general, there should be ten of them, so we can say it’s a 10-panel screening. The person who orders the test is choosing the substances that the patient should be tested for.
At the first moment, the sensitive part of the test shows if there is something present in the urine or not. If nothing shows up during the test, it’s claimed as negative, and you can get your results in a few hours or the next day. But, if it shows something, future examinations are required, to determine which substances are present in the sample. After that, it shows which substances are in the person’s body, are they legal, or illegal, and how their presence may affect the ability to work.
What if it shows positive for marijuana?
Knowing that cannabis and its distillates and fractions are widely used, and legal in a lot of countries, not every positive marijuana test is bad. For example, CBD is allowed almost all around the world, and the presence of THC shows that there is a psychotropic substance in the body and that the person took an illegal cannabis product.
How can legal drugs affect the working process?
Even the legal drugs and medicines may have some effects on the user, so their alertness and concentration on the tasks can be affected. Company owners usually order these tests for their drivers or machine operators, because even the prescription drugs may affect their ability to complete the job well, especially if their position requires full concentration, without a space for mistake.
How to get a screening during the pandemic?
Most of the clinics that provide this type of service allow you to book the appointment online, so the patient can get in the lab immediately, without having to wait in a hall with the other patients. The operators are protected with masks and appropriate clothes covers, so the risk of coronavirus transmission is low, and you don’t need to be afraid about that, especially if you wear a mask and disinfect your hands regularly.
What drugs can this test detect?
Almost every drug can be detected by these tests, but you have to choose ten of them. But, in general, it can detect cannabis, hashish, and their extracts, cocaine, opium, morphine, heroin, crack, codeine, morphine, diazepam (also known as Valium), alprazolam (known as Xanax), meth, amphetamine, or even ADHD medications, methadone, and barbiturates. All of these drugs have different detection times, and it may happen that you will need to wait a few business days until it’s complete.
What is a random panel screening?
Sometimes, the person that is tested doesn’t know which substances are included. But, first, the patient should agree to have this type of screening performed. Sometimes, the companies require this type of tests for the employees, because those who use drugs may skip the particular substance, and the test won’t react to it, if not included. Also, the patient should avoid drinking a lot of water before the test, so the urine will have the needed concentration, to show up if something is there.
How is the test performed?
The person should use a bathroom stall, and sometimes the lab technician can be present with them, especially if they are former drug addicts or people who are in a process of giving up on drugs and cleaning themselves. Many labs claim they had cases of tampered samples, by adding water to the urine or replacing it with another person’s sample. In some cases, the administrator can be together with the person in the stall, so they can be sure everything is accurate. The presence of substances can be shown immediately, but it may take a few days until the complete analysis is done.
If the result is inconclusive, that means the sample wasn’t good enough, or the test is unsuccessful, and it needs to be repeated.
Is there a more accurate drug test?
In most cases, if you want to be sure that someone is not using drugs, the hair test is more accurate, because it shows the presence of substances even 20-30 days after the drug is taken. The family of the addicts during their recovery is often using this type of examination, so they can be sure the person they love is not taking any drug.
Drug recovery is not easy, and substance abuse is something we should be aware of all the time. No one should ever ignore that, because awareness can save a lot of lives and families from suffering. Substance tests are something that is formally done in some companies, especially if the job position requires an operational ability and a high level of concentration, and you shouldn’t avoid that if your boss asks you to test yourself.
