Over-The-Counter Drug Testing Supplies

Over-the-counter Drug Testing Supplies

There may come a time when you need to determine if an individual tests positively for illicit drug use. There is a vast array of different types of drug testing kits that can be used at home or in the office. Understanding the benefits of each type can help you make the right choice for your needs.

What are the different types of drug tests?

Some of these home drug tests require you to send your results to a lab for accurate results.

  • Urine Drug Testing: These drug tests check for drugs in urine samples and are some of the most common OTC test methods.
  • Saliva Drug Testing: These drug tests are favoured for job drug testing because they are so easy to administer. These kits can detect drug use within the past few days of the tests.
  • Blood Drug Testing: This drug test is the most accurate option but it is also one of the least common and it does require more careful handling.
  • Hair Testing: This method can detect drug use for months or even a full year after the fact. However, this option is usually reserved for professional use or cases where tampering with the other types of test is suspected.
  • Sweat Testing: These tests require the person to wear a patch for a significant amount of time. Theyre not commonly used because they can easily be affected by environmental influences and potentially register a false positive.
What kind of drugs can home drug tests detect?

These kits only apply to the most common drug tests. The length of time that these drugs are detectable will vary, being longer for hair testing.

  • Marijuana: Marijuana can be detected for up to a week after use. After smoking or ingesting marijuana, it only takes one to three hours for it to be detectable.
  • Opiates: Opiates like heroin are detectable within two to six hours of use. Tests results will remain positive for opiates for up to three days after last use.
  • Methamphetamine: Methamphetamine drugs take around four to six hours to be detected and will yield positive test results for up to three days after use.
  • Cocaine: Crack cocaine is detectable after two to six hours of use. Cocaine will remain detectable for up to three days.

Some of these tests allow you to check for other detectable drugs such as angel dust, PCP, ecstasy, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, methadone, tricyclic antidepressants, and oxycodone. Its important to read all of the instructions on the kit before performing any of these drug tests because the process is time sensitive. Be sure to fully understand the instructions on the kit for an accurate home drug test. Additionally, some drugs these kits test for, like marijuana, antidepressants, and oxycodone, can be prescribed, so be sure to ask to see a copy of a prescription if these should test as positive.