| Drug testing has become very common in both | | | | The hair follicle drug test requires taking a sample |
| the workplace and schools within the last twenty | | | | of the employee's hair; usually just a small snippet |
| years or so. Generally, urine testing is the most | | | | of hair is taken and is considered less |
| common form of drug screening. Many people are | | | | embarrassing than urine collection. A human |
| creative in their efforts to beat drug tests and | | | | resources employee or other official within the |
| have formulated many products to mask the | | | | company can often perform the hair collection |
| appearance of drugs in the system. Products such | | | | on-site. The sample is then sent to the laboratory |
| as masking chemicals and even synthetic urine | | | | for washing and testing. Labs generally wash the |
| are widely available, and even the most severe | | | | hair prior to testing in order to reduce the risk of |
| cases of drug abuse may go undetected. Because | | | | picking up drug chemicals that may have come |
| of the ever-expanding market of products | | | | from external sources, rather than actually |
| designed to help a drug user pass a screening, | | | | ingesting the substance. |
| many employers are turning to hair follicle drug | | | | Although most employers still rely on the urine |
| testing. | | | | analysis for detecting drugs among employees or |
| Although hair drug testing is significantly more | | | | prospective employees, others are recognizing the |
| expensive than urine, sweat or saliva testing, | | | | benefits of hair follicle drug testing. Most people |
| many employers consider the benefits to | | | | are aware of various methods in which to beat |
| outweigh the costs. Employers are often pleased | | | | the urine test; in some cases even resorting to |
| with the fact that hair follicle drug testing is less | | | | purchasing urine from a "clean" friend. Hair drug |
| intrusive, is generally more sensitive to detecting | | | | testing is virtually unbeatable by current masking |
| drugs and can detect them up to twice as far | | | | products. Although some products claim to mask |
| back as other methods, and can show whether | | | | the appearance of drugs in hair samples, most are |
| or not the employee has ceased to use drugs | | | | based on false or inaccurate claims. Hair follicle |
| recently in an attempt to cover up usage. It is | | | | drug testing has been proven to be more |
| also more difficult to mask drugs in the system | | | | effective and less invasive than other alternatives. |
| when using this type of test. | | | | |