Drug abuse is a dynamic and rapidly developing industry that costs the U.S. economy about 750 billion dollars each year.
Every year, drug traffickers come up with innovative drugs that contain psychotropic and addictive substances. To commit these heinous crimes, traffickers have access to tremendous resources and infrastructure.
The traffickers are busy developing ultra-smart drugs as drug screening companies invest billions in innovative drug testing.
Why Drug Screening?
The purpose of drug screening is to determine whether a person has been using a particular drug.
There may be several instances when drug testing is necessary:
- Testing for drugs before job placement in the transportation, airline industry, or any other workplace where public safety is paramount
- They can do a reasonable suspicion drug test solely based on observations made by the supervisor or other co-workers
- Sports drug testing at colleges and professional levels
- Testing for illicit drugs at work – to detect drug abuse on the job
- Routine drug testing – A drug test administered periodically to employees or according to their schedules
- Post-accident drug testing – A vehicle accident or a work-related accident involving human error and which led to casualties and property damage
- Testing for drug use at work – If the judgment or physical ability of an employee could lead to hazards at work
Pros and Cons of Instant Drug Screen and Lab-Based Test
Employers want their workplaces to be secure and healthy. One challenge many employers cannot decide on is whether to go for an instant drug screen or a lab-based drug screen.
Therefore, here are some pros and cons of instant drug screens and lab-based tests.
Pros of Lab-Based Test
- During a lab drug test, experts have in-depth knowledge of the field and deliver results based on their expertise.
- They perform drug tests in the laboratory with different cut-offs and thresholds. As a result, the employer may defend their position in court.
- Despite their accuracy, lab tests cannot be 100% accurate in real life. False positives or false negatives are always possible.
- A court or law enforcement agency may only accept lab test results that the federal department has approved and conformed to SAMHSA guidelines. The test results’ empirical data are admissible in court.
- The court, federal agencies, and employers still favor the lab test despite the inherent drawbacks.
Cons of Lab-Based Tests
- The drug testing panel does not include some odd drugs. Detecting them will cost employers more.
- There are no 100% specific lab tests. Cheating and adulteration are always possible during the trial.
- A laboratory-based test has the disadvantage of being time-consuming. Usually, the wait time varies between 24 and 72 hours, but some cases may take longer.
Pros and Cons of Instant Drug Tests
Pros of Instant Drug Screen
- This test method involves collecting the sample onsite, testing it within a few minutes, and then discarding it. One of the simplest types of drug testing is an onsite urine test.
- It’s a fast testing method during the hiring or random screening processes. Time saved equates to money saved.
- The test results show what type and quantity of the consumed drug. Employers determine whether the outcome is positive or negative based on a quantitative threshold.
- Many employers are using instant urine drug tests these days because of the popularity of this type of test.
Cons of Instant Drug Screen
Even though instant drug tests offer many advantages, they also have their disadvantages. Employers should remember these things when deciding whether to administer an instant drug test.
- A training program and experienced personnel should be in place at the workplace to handle instant drug tests. Someone must closely monitor cheaters during the process.
- There are limited options in the Instant Drug Test panel, so detecting all drugs and their derivatives is impossible.
- Potential employees taking on sensitive positions at the workplace can be subjected to instant drug tests. Those positions demand specialized lab testing.
- Lab-based tests are preferred to instant drug screen by agencies such as FDA and DOT.
- An instant drug test does not reveal drugs that have been misused for a long time.
Conclusion
Businesses must choose drug tests (instant screen or lab-based) that meet the highest safety standards. They have proven that drug testing reduces turnover rates, increases employee well-being, and increases productivity.
Studies further show that drug screening programs have discouraged workers from taking drugs in the workplace. Drug testing is also an integral part of workplace safety because it ensures the safety of machinery, hardware, and people.
