Nationwide Drug and Alcohol Testing: Urine Drug Screening Facts

According to surveys conducted by SHRM in collaboration with DATIA, at least 50% of companies conduct illegal substance screening on every applicant or job candidate.

Between these screenings, the most common type is urine substance screens. If a person is running a business and they are considering asking applicants or staff members to be subjected to a company illegal substance test, they are on the right path.

Not only this kind of screening is affordable and quick, but there are various types of panels, meaning people have a lot of choices when it comes to deciding what type of screening is best for them and their business. Thinking of starting an employment screening program, but you are not totally convinced of its effectiveness? Listed below are some interesting facts people need to know.

To find out more about this kind of testing, click here for details.

Urine screening can return results immediately

With instant screenings, negative test results are collected the same day as it was taken. People can get quick results at the United States test centers with the six-panel and ten-panel screens, which check for substances like opiates, cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamines, and amphetamines.

Screenings that offer quick results are a significant asset to companies since if they are concerned that workers have shown up for the job under the influence of illegal substances or alcohol, they can get answers immediately. Getting instant urine drug screens is pretty easy with centers. They have these things available in all of their locations all over the country.

It is difficult to cheat

Guilty individuals are always looking for ways to cheat on these tests, but most methods people will read about on the Internet are nothing but frauds or myths to attract online traffic. In reality, it is very hard, if at all possible, to fool stringent drug screens. Even excessively drinking water – a common way to trick these things – will not help workers fly under the radar.

An individual will consume a lot of liquid to flush out substances from their body and provide urine that appears to be clean. But this will usually backfire when it comes to drug screens. That is because using this method usually ends up with the individual producing a diluted sample. It means that the sample is too watered down to provide a conclusive result.

The person is not necessarily off the hook. If the test comes back pretty watered down, the next step will depend on the company’s workplace policy when it comes to drug use. While some organizations will accept negative, diluted results, other companies will require another screen session or more stringent screening methods like blood or hair follicle tests.

If a company does not yet have a workplace policy when it comes to substance use, they can call the United States Drug Test Centers for help. Also, if the result comes back positive, rest assured that the individual tested positive for a particular substance. While diluted negative tests are inconclusive, a positive one is not.

Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_test for more information about this procedure.

There is not only one test that every company uses

It is understandable if a person would assume that there is one generic urine drug screen that centers use. Although we know there’s no one-size-fits-all method. And because no two companies are the same, centers in the United States offer various urine substance screens. These panels will screen for commonly used and abused substances and make it easy for individuals, as well as companies, to maintain a drug-free company, keep workers safe, and run a productive operation.

These panels companies end up choosing usually come down to how many illicit substances they want to test for. Even if they do not see the substance they want to test for on the center’s website, they can generate a unique test specifically designed for them. With specialty laboratories, they can test for almost anything.

This thing can test for substance use as far back as seven days

People urinate multiple times per day, so it makes a lot of sense to assume that illegal substance will work their way out of their bodies as quickly as the urine does. But considering the amount of time some illicit substances stay in our system, this kind of test will pick them up.

That is because these screening programs can detect drug abuse as far back as seven days ago. It is a relief to organizations because a high as a kite worker while on the job is not the only issue. Even if they do not feel impaired, there is a good chance that an individual who abuses illegal substances still have these things in their body and might not function well the next day. It is imperative that a company be able to know with accuracy that their employees are drug-free.

Illegal substance testing might minimize drug use overall

While the studies on how well these methods work to deter people from using drugs have not proven to be overall conclusive, some information is undoubtedly biased towards it. Based on studies by organizations like the Nationwide Testing Association, it appears as though workers will think twice about abusing or using illicit substances when they know that getting screened is a possibility.

For example, according to studies conducted by Health Services Research, people whose employers perform these screens are less likely to look into past-month cannabis use. Overall use also decreases when the company enforces higher or strict penalties if the results turn positive.

When individuals know their private life can have a significant impact on their work, they become mindful of their life choices. There are a lot of reasons why companies need to be doing workers’ screens. Substance use in the workplace can lead to higher worker turnover, more absences, accidents, criminal activities, as well as lost productivity on the job.

It ends up costing organizations a lot of money each year. Especially if we consider the recent changes in marijuana laws, understanding a company’s responsibility and rights is more crucial than ever. While a lot of people and organizations consider marijuana as a harmless plant, according to the CDC, when used regularly, it can cause paranoia, anxiety, and disorientation.