| A huge amount of research has gone into the | | | | up the costs and the time required. |
| development of saliva drug testing methods. The | | | | Saliva drug testing cannot be used as a |
| methodologies used continue to evolve as a result | | | | comprehensive drug test for detecting long term |
| of all this research resulting in more accurate and | | | | drug use patterns. Most drugs do not leave a |
| reliable tests. Saliva drug testing has its obvious | | | | residue in the saliva beyond a 20 hour period. |
| advantages but unfortunately, it is not the final | | | | Saliva drug testing can be used safely to judge |
| solution and it does have its drawbacks. | | | | whether the person has consumed drugs within |
| The major benefit of saliva drug testing is that | | | | the last 24 hours but it won't detect if the person |
| unlike urine blood tests, it is much easier to collect | | | | has any history of drug abuse at all. A hair drug |
| the sample for testing and it is much more | | | | test would beat saliva drug testing at it any given |
| difficult to give a false sample. In urine drug | | | | day going back up to 90 days, but a hair drug |
| testing the sample is collected in the privacy of a | | | | test takes a month or so to give results. |
| special booth constructed for the purpose or a | | | | Saliva drug testing is rather an excellent way by |
| toilet. The subject has the chance to provide a | | | | which to test long haul truck drivers on the spot |
| sample that is clean without the knowledge of the | | | | before a trip to determine whether he has |
| person in charge of testing. This has been the | | | | consumed any drugs recently that would impair |
| greatest issue with urine drug testing so far. | | | | his ability to drive safely. Saliva drug testing could |
| But the collection of saliva for saliva drug testing | | | | also be employed in case of accidents on the job |
| is accomplished easily and in public leaving out no | | | | or on the road to determine whether drug abuse |
| space for the subject in question to pull a trick on | | | | was a factor that contributed to the mishap. With |
| the tester. The sample required for saliva drug | | | | instant results and easy sample collection, no |
| testing is collected by using a scrub that | | | | other tests would compare with a saliva drug test |
| resembles a toothbrush, the only difference being | | | | in these conditions. |
| that at the end where there should be bristles, | | | | Saliva drug testing has the capability to detect up |
| we find a swab that collects saliva. Saliva is | | | | to 8 different drugs in the body. It is usually |
| collected by placing this collection mechanism | | | | designed to detect 5 to 6 drugs at the same |
| between the lower cheek and gum for about two | | | | time. The results of saliva drug testing are |
| minutes. | | | | accurate and completely reliable. So the question |
| Understandably, the collection method for saliva | | | | arises as to why saliva drug testing is not as |
| drug testing is obviously simpler than that for | | | | popular or widely employed as the urine test or |
| urine testing, or blood testing for that matter. | | | | the blood test. |
| Another great advantage of saliva drug testing is | | | | Saliva drug testing will eventually replace all other |
| that, with the use of some instant testing kits, | | | | drug testing methods in all cases where a |
| the result is availed pretty quickly without the | | | | comprehensive drug abuse history is not required |
| need for a lab. In contrast, a blood test would | | | | to be evaluated. This quick and easy method is |
| require sample collection by a health care | | | | poised to take the market by storm. That is |
| professional and testing in a lab significantly driving | | | | unless the labs manage to bury it in propaganda. |