Drug screening tests use biological specimens like urine or hair samples to test for the presence of drugs or metabolites. These tests cannot be used to determine if a person has a drug or alcohol addiction. However, they may be the catalyst an addict needs to get help for his or her addiction. For example, a man who tests positive for illicit drugs and is fired from his workplace may see the negative affect drug use has had on his life and seek treatment. Urine testing is the most common type of drug screening test, most likely because it is the easiest and fastest way to test for drugs. A person is generally sent to a third-party collection site where he or she provides a urine sample. The sample is sent to a laboratory where it is analyzed for the presence of drugs or the metabolites produced after the body has processed the drugs. Urine testing kits can be purchased to conduct tests in a less formal environment. Typically, these kits test for drugs that are commonly abused such as marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamines, and ecstasy. The home drug tests work similar to home pregnancy tests where colored lines indicate a positive or negative answer. Blood, saliva, and sweat can also be tested for drug use. The detection period, though, is very short. Typically these tests are used when urine or hair testing is not available or practical. For example, police officer’s conduct onsite saliva tests to determine the amount of alcohol a person has consumed.

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