Drug testing is essential for all organizations and companies no matter where you work, play or volunteer. Screening helps protect yourself, your employees and your company. With statistics showing that employers lose over 79% of negligent hiring cases and drug abuse costs nearing around $81 billion each year for employers, it’s pretty easy to see why it’s a good idea to have a drug testing program on your side.
But what kind of drug testing will work best for your company? The testing method that words best for us, might not work best for you. We wrote this article to help you figure out what method is best suited for your company’s needs. And as always, if you have more specific questions, please contact one of our drug screening professionals at 888-919-8378 or by emailing [email protected].
There are three main types of drug testing: urine, hair, and oral fluid or saliva.
Urine Testing:
Urine is by far the most common or popular type of drug testing. It is the only testing method approved for companies with federally-mandated testing and is by far one of the most cost-effective forms of drug testing.
Pros:
-Cost-effective
-Instant and lab-based testing options available
-Easily customizable testing panels (all drug panels available)
-Nationwide collection sites available
-Most likely to survive a legal challenge
Cons:
-Limited window of detection (3-5 days, up to 6 weeks for marijuana)
-Easier to cheat
-Issues collecting samples (shy bladder)
-Harder to collect samples, handle, and ship
Hair Testing:
Hair testing is normally used for those employers looking for a longer window of detection that can show habitual drug use. Using this testing method will help you avoid hiring long-term or lifestyle drug users.
Pros:
-Longer window of detection
-Easy to ship and store
-Cheating not possible (test observed and collected)
Cons:
-Can be biased based on hair length available (longer hair vs. none – which then requires body hair)
-Doesn’t detect recent drug use (5-7 days before collection)
-Limited testing panels available
-More expensive
Oral Fluid (Saliva) Testing:
Oral fluid testing is most commonly used for onsite collections or for high volume testing needed at one time (ex. hiring events). While oral fluids are convenient, easy, and pretty cost-effective, they aren’t the most consistent form of testing and have the shortest detection window.
Pros:
-Cheating not possible (test observed and collected)
-Easy collection that can be done anywhere
-Instant and lab-based testing options available
-Cheapest test that can be administered by the company themselves
Cons:
-Shortest detection window (only 24-48 hours)
-Not all collection devices are FDA approved
-Tests can be difficult to read/inconsistent
-The larger the testing panel the less accurate they become
What Testing Method Should You Use?
Compare your company’s needs with the basics of each drug testing method listed above. Ultimately, you need to decide what factors are most important to you and what method you feel most comfortable with. Some of the main things to consider are: detection window (are you looking for recent drug use or long term?), cost, testing panel availability and ease of collection (do you need to be able to test at your office?). If you need extra help, give us a call and we’d be more than happy to help you figure out what method would be best suited for your company’s needs.