Organizations with drug and alcohol testing programs see urine drug screens as the golden standard and thus use them most of the time. However, saliva testing is a type of test becoming more popular with these organizations. As discussed in this article on Ovus, it is because this testing method is quick, easy to do, and non-harmful. A saliva test is also very efficient in showing recent drug use: it can give results in as little as ten minutes. But how long do drugs stay in saliva, and what drugs do these tests detect?
Common Drugs Screened and How Long Do These Drugs Stay in Saliva
How long drugs stay in the saliva depends on the substance.
Legal Drugs
Alcohol
Standard testing for drugs doesn’t include alcohol tests, but you can still test a person on suspicion of alcohol abuse or to check if they are really not drinking alcohol. A saliva drug test can detect alcohol from 6 hours and all the way up to 3 days.
Barbiturates
Barbiturates are drugs for treating sleeplessness and seizures. They are prone to abuse because of the relaxing sensation they bring. An oral swab test can detect this drug for up to three days.
Amphetamines
Amphetamines are stimulant drugs for curing being overweight, sleeping disorders, or attention disorder. However, some use them for recreation or performance enhancement, both of which are illegal. Saliva testing kits can detect Amphetamines from 12 hours up to 5 days after use.
Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines are calming drugs and are a remedy for anxiety or insomnia. However, they are also highly addictive. The drug detection time varies greatly, ranging from 1 to 10 days, and depending on the type of benzodiazepine.
Cannabis (THC)
Many states have already legalized marijuana. However, other states still find marijuana illegal, and those states conduct marijuana testing. Saliva tests can detect marijuana use within 24 hours up to 72 hours.
Opioids
Since some doctors prescribe opioids for pain relief, some end up abusing these drugs. One popular and illegal opioid is heroin. Statistics show that its misuse is currently an epidemic in the United States. Detection times of the different kinds of opioids vary from an hour after use and up to 10 days.
Illegal Drugs
Methamphetamine
Also known as “meth,” it is an illegal stimulant that brings happiness to the user. An oral drug test can detect Meth in as little as 10 minutes after use and as long as four days.
Cocaine
Cocaine is a very infamous and highly addictive stimulant drug, and it is illegal to use and possess this substance. Saliva tests cannot detect it after 72 hours.
Phencyclidine (PCP)
Phencyclidine or PCP is a hallucinogenic substance. The user becomes very ecstatic and disconnected from normal life. Saliva drug tests can detect it from 24 hours up to 10 days after use.
Methylenedioxy-Methamphetamine (MDMA)
Rave party goers commonly use this drug, also known as ecstasy or Molly. An oral test can detect it an hour after use, but all traces disappear 24 hours after use.
How Long Do Drugs Stay in Saliva – Other Factors
Even with these benchmarks, certain factors affect how long drugs stay in saliva. These include an individual’s metabolism, age, body fat percentage, tolerance for drugs, the amount of drug taken, and even the purity of the drug itself.
Do you know that standard urine drug tests also check on one’s level of creatinine concentration? Normal creatinine levels help show that the urine sample is not diluted. How about if somebody’s urine drug test results indicate low creatinine levels? Read on to know what low creatinine levels mean in urine drug tests.
What is creatinine?
Creatinine is a byproduct of muscle metabolism. It usually appears in urine in relatively constant quantities over 24 hours with the usual amount of liquid intake. Then, it is filtered out of the blood through the kidneys at a reasonably steady rate. Hence, there is a continual production of creatinine and a continual excretion of it in the urine.
In general, limited water intake can lead to abnormally concentrated urine, resulting in elevated creatinine levels.
Conversely, a more significant than usual water intake will dilute the amount of drug in the urine sample, thus, yielding low creatinine levels.
The Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has set the guidelines below:
Dilute urine creatinine:equal to or greater than 2.0 mg/dL and less than 20 mg/dL Most likely due to increased water or liquid intake. This can be a result of short-term water loading (flushing) in an attempt to dilute any drug below testing cut-off concentrations
Abnormally dilute urine creatinine:<2.0 mg/dL. In this case, the specimen shows a deficient creatinine value. It may be an indication that the specimen is not consistent with normal human urine.
When the urine sample is too diluted, the results are normally labeled as “inconclusive.”
What causes low creatinine levels in the urine?
Intentional and Accidental Urine Dilution
Intentional dilution of urine happens when a person purposefully alters the chemical composition of his urine sample. For example, a person is doing it intentionally if he drinks excessive amounts of water or takes diuretics to flush out the metabolites or byproducts of the drugs consumed before testing.
Adulteration is also an example of urine dilution. It involves adding water or some products like bleaching agents and detergents to the urine sample.
However, urine dilution can also be unintentional. Low creatinine levels can occur when any of the following conditions are present:
Muscle disease (muscle weakness, stiffness, and pain; decline in mobility)
Muscular dystrophy involves progressive loss of muscle mass and consequent loss of stamina
Poor liver function (jaundice, pale, bloodied tar-colored stool)
Excessive water loss
Low muscle mass due to malnutrition/low-meat or low-protein diet)
Kidney disease/stones
What do low creatinine levels mean in urine drug tests?
Getting low creatinine levels may indicate that the person tested tried to mask his urine drug test result. Moreover, he may have other health issues which he needs to address.
Summing up, establishing the creatinine levels in drug-abuse testing helps validate the urine specimen used and the testing results.
Alcohol is one of the most popular drugs in the world. Since it’s not yet considered a controlled substance, people consume it anytime and anywhere.
But because employers know that working people (especially those in safety-sensitive jobs) who are under the influence of alcohol can threaten their own lives and others, they now include urine alcohol testing in their drug testing programs.
The question is – how long does alcohol stay in your urine? Read on to find out.
How Long Does Alcohol Stay in the Body?
Once taken, the tongue and the mouth’s mucosal lining directly absorb a small amount of alcohol.
Then, once in the stomach, the tissues lining the stomach and small intestines process it and transports it to other body organs through the bloodstream.
If you drank alcohol on an empty stomach, you’d feel intoxicated faster. It’s because food either absorbs the alcohol or prevents it from coming into contact with the stomach lining.
The liver metabolizes one standard drink per hour for men. So if you’re a man who just consumed five alcoholic beverages, alcohol will leave your body in about five hours.
1.5 fl oz shot of distilled spirits (gin, rum, tequila, vodka, whiskey).
Other factors influence the rate of alcohol breakdown in the body. These are:
Weight
Age
Metabolism
Gender
Amount of food eaten
Type and strength of the alcoholic beverage
Medications that are taken before drinking alcohol
Why use urine for testing alcohol?
Alcohol blood tests can detect the substance for up to six hours. On the other hand, breathalyzers and saliva tests can detect alcohol anywhere from 12-24 hours.
On the other hand, an alcohol urine test looks for the ethanol metabolite Ethyl Glucuronide or EtG. It’s because EtG stays in the body for up to 80 hours or three days.
Will drinking plenty of water or coffee sober you up?
No, doing these things won’t speed up the elimination of alcohol in the body. Even sleeping longer or taking a shower won’t do. Yes, drinking coffee or lots of water and taking a cold shower can make you feel refreshed and awake. However, the body eliminates alcohol naturally through an enzyme called Alcohol Dehydrogenase produced by the liver.
But even if you’re already sober, EtG will remain in your body. So if you’re scheduled for an alcohol test, your best bet would be to stay away from any alcoholic drinks for three days or more.
It is said that UA drug testing cups sometimes show false positives. Why does this happen?
you recently ate plenty of foods poured with alcohol (baked Alaska, flambes)
used mouthwashes or breath mints before the test
took a cough syrup like Nyquil
This is why you should inform the evaluator of any medicines you took or food you ate before the alcohol drug test. Another thing to keep in mind is the cutoff levels of different drugs.
Yes, taking Panadeine Forte for your headache might give you positive test results for opiates. However, the test will also show that the concentration is within the therapeutic range. This means you are not misusing opiates.
So how long does alcohol stay in your urine? Generally up to 80 hours depending on your age, gender, and other factors.
Would you like to know more about this topic? Visit the Ovus Medical Blog. We have plenty of information you can benefit from.
3,4-MethyleneDioxyMethAmphetamine, also known as MDMA and Molly, is the world’s most popular synthetic drug of all time. This psychoactive drug makes you friendlier, euphoric, and feel empathetic towards others. That’s why MDMA became a famous party drug among young adults. It makes you feel so alive, energetic, and super friendly – feelings that many perceive as musts to enjoy the party.
What is the drug Molly?
No, “Molly” isn’t the name of MDMA’s inventor. The name came from “molecular,” which is how this drug was originally distributed – in powder or crystal form.
Today, it comes in the form of capsules and funny-looking tablets. Sometimes, it’s also available in its liquid form.
Molly is just one of MDMA’s nicknames. Users also call it ecstasy, Adam, hug drug, lover’s speed, STP, beans, disco biscuit, among others.
It’s a Schedule I substance which means it has a high chance of being abused but has no FDA-approved medical use.
Although most users typically swallow Molly, some smoke, snort, or inject this illegal drug.
How does Molly work?
Ecstasy triggers three neurotransmitters in your brain: Dopamine, Noradrenaline, and Serotonin. The first ups your energy level, the second increases your heart rate, while the third improves your mood, appetite for food, and sex.
The thing is – Molly mimics these neurotransmitters, giving you that enhanced experience most users love. It makes you feel so good and happy, and you see everyone as your friend.
Side Effects of Molly
When used as directed, MDMA can be a helpful drug. But when used for recreation or as a party drug, you must be very careful.
For one, MDMA disrupts the sleep cycle, so you’ll feel sleepless after taking it. You might feel your teeth clenching involuntarily, even when you’re wide awake. Another side effect is being too amiable and friendly, even to strangers. Now, this can lead to unsafe sex or promiscuity.
MDMA’s real danger is not in the substance itself. In fact, Dr. Alexander Shulgin, the spiritual father of psychedelics, recreated MDMA for therapeutic purposes.
It’s when someone contaminates it with other drugs like cocaine or ketamine or mixed with chemicals used for bath salts that can cause adverse effects like:
High blood pressure
Panic attacks
Faintness
Involuntary jaw clenching
Nausea
Death
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, using Molly in places where there’s long, vigorous physical activity in warm environments can lead to molly’s most acute side effects – a significant increase in body temperature or hyperthermia. This can also cause dehydration.
However, drinking plenty of water and sports drinks is not the solution in this situation. Molly causes the body to retain water, so there’s a risk of electrolyte imbalance or brain swelling.
This may be the reason why fatality reports in recent years have tended to cluster at events such as raves and electronic dance music festivals.
Is there a need to test for MDMA in the workplace?
Most companies that do drug testing in the workplace now include molly screens. This drug, as mentioned earlier, affects a person’s perception and behavior. So employers are wary that their employees’ productivity and safety might be affected by a worker who’s still experiencing a comedown because he took MDMA the night before.
Does your workplace need reliable but affordably-priced MDMA drug tests? Then check out Ovus Medical’s 10, 12, 13, and 14 drug testing cups which include MDMA. Or purchase our MDMA Testing Strips.
Drug rehabilitation facilities comprise a vital component of the nation’s solution to the problem of substance abuse. If these establishments are not up to par, the efforts of the law enforcement and drug testing components of the war against illegal drugs will be wasted.
While it is encouraging that many such facilities have been established throughout the country, the rate at which they have sprouted up is also cause for concern. Being a largely unregulated business, the “addiction treatment” industry suffers from quality control issues. A considerable number of these establishments employ methods that border on pseudo-science.
It is not unlawful for people in a free country like ours to throw their money away on snake oil remedies and fanciful beliefs. However, when the prominence of these unwarranted cures causes people to forgo valuable help that would otherwise be their first option, then we have a serious problem.
Assuring quality among drug rehab centers throughout America is an extremely tall order: It may even be impractical to ensure quality without having to padlock a good number of establishments. There are a number of valuable pointers to bear in mind to improve drug rehabs and how they are run.
Drug Rehabs: What Can You Do to Improve?
1. Never forgo hard science
Drug rehab centers should adopt holistic outlooks to treatment and be open to various approaches that may contribute to the overall well-being of their patients. These so-called humanistic principles that regard the patient as a total person who needs spiritual as well as mental and physical healing will not hurt. They can only be harmful if they constitute the totality of the treatment and rehabilitation in the facility’s program and displace actual scientifically-founded methods.
There is undoubtedly much testimony and anecdotal evidence that exists on miraculous cures occurring in people at rehab centers who completely turned themselves around when they surrendered to a higher power. It is, however, not the sort of thing one should count on or hope for when being treated at these facilities. Even clerics who pray over these patients encourage the correct and compliant use of the medication employed at treatment facilities to help patients overcome their chemical addiction.
2. Praise the Lord, and pass the medication
The belief that the only way to kick the drug habit is to quit cold turkey is both archaic and potentially harmful. Many patients suffering from substance abuse or addiction are in need of appropriate detoxification medicines for long-term, stable recovery.
Sadly, changes in local legislation are still direly needed to provide access to such treatments for all patients suffering from opioid addiction. At the same time, not all treatment facilities are legally and technically equipped to provide such treatment. There are still rehab centers that subscribe to the abstinence-only model of substance withdrawal irrespective of the specific circumstances of their patients.
Apart from the inefficacy of a purely cold turkey approach, there are real dangers to be worried about. There have been instances of death in patients who overdosed immediately upon leaving the treatment facility as they were never informed of the role of maintenance medication in reducing their mortality risk.
3. Consider more outpatient treatment
Allowing patients to go home to their families and communities has been proven as a more effective approach in drug rehab than requiring them to remain in the facilities for the duration of their treatment. In the case of opioid abuse, outpatient maintenance with appropriately administered drugs such as buprenorphine or methadone has been shown to reduce mortality by at least half.
It is important to disabuse ourselves of the image of the perfect drug rehabilitation program being one that is conducted entirely in a resort or spa-like facility that famous rehabilitating celebrities are associated with. Complete recovery involves reintegration into one’s life, and not merely being kept off drugs while in the custody of a treatment center.
4. Enforce real standards
Developing and abiding by national standards of care would go a long way in rationalizing the drug rehab efforts of institutions throughout America. Patients and anybody who desires to overcome a substance abuse problem should never be shortchanged in the therapy and even diagnosis made available to them.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cautions consumers about irresponsible claims floated by some companies that promote their marijuana-based products as “cancer treatments.”
These companies, namely: Greenroads Health, Natural Alchemist, That’s Natural! Marketing and Consulting, and Stanley Brothers Social Enterprises LLC were issued warning letters by the FDA after found to be distributing a total of 25 marijuana-related products that claimed to be able to prevent, treat, diagnose, and even “cure” cancer. None of these claims were backed by any medical or scientific data. These products were being distributed through product webpages, online stores, and social media websites.
None of these products were in violation of laws on regulated or prohibited drugs because they do not contain actual marijuana but merely an extract of the hemp plant called Cannabidiol (CBD) which is not approved by the government for any actual drug product. CBD is commonly used for pain relief and relaxation. The companies are, however, in violation of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act for selling unapproved products with unsubstantiated therapeutic claims.
The FDA notes that the act of making unfounded therapeutic claims exposes people to potential harm because they might choose to forego their effectual, recognized, and proven life-saving medication in favor of these dubious products. Some of these claims were notably outrageous such as “combats tumor and cancer cells,” or “makes cancer cells commit ‘suicide’ without killing other cells. Leading people into believing such claims is a deceptive marketing practice that endangers the health of Americans, the FDA asserted.
The government aims to remove products claiming they are marijuana treatments for cancer and any other such products from the market to safeguard the health of countless Americans, especially those undergoing treatment for the said illness..
Marijuana Treatments for Cancer Claims Unfounded
Can marijuana treat cancer?
There are many pharmaceutical products used in cancer treatment, but there is presently no scientific evidence to support the efficacy of a marijuana-based product in treating cancer. The FDA welcomes any research or product studies, however, that show any promise of making such a medication a reality. CBD and actual Marijuana is presently used in an unofficial and even unlawful capacity by some people to help relieve symptoms of cancer. It is also used to help alleviate the unpleasant effects of medical treatments for cancer.
The medical science community still needs to see, however, any definitive evidence of marijuana’s effects on malignant tissue. For now, the drug is still among those being monitored in routine drug tests to detect illegal substances.
Tramadol is a relatively new pain medicine, having been in use for just a quarter of a century. Like many other such products, Tramadol is an opioid drug because it can produce effects similar to morphine by acting on the body’s opioid receptors.
Most of the products in the opioid class of drugs are regarded as illegal because of the likelihood of drug abuse and addiction. These include drugs like morphine and heroin. Tramadol, however, is not an illegal drug but a controlled substance, despite being an opioid.
It is a valuable product in the medical profession as it is fast-acting and used in treating acute and chronic pain. Dispensed only by prescription, this medicine comes in various dosage forms. It can be taken as a liquid through drops, syrups, elixirs, effervescent tablets and soluble powders. It is also available in pills and tablets. The drug can also be administered as a suppository and injection.
Will drug tests detect Tramadol?
As this painkiller is so useful, its many satisfied users are likely to ask their physicians the question: Will tramadol make you fail a drug test? As an opioid drug, this product can surely be detected by a fully equipped laboratory in a test sample taken from a suspect. The drug remains in the body for a number days and shall continue to be detectable in specific types of sample during this time. These tests can detect the drug in a subject’s saliva and blood in as long as 24 hours, in a urine sample for up to 24 hours, and in the person’s hair for as long as 90 days.
However, Tramadol is not detected by routine drug tests that are designed to be sensitive to commonly abused drugs. Therefore, the more common answer to the question, “Will tramadol make you fail a drug test?” is “No.” This is because most of these routine tests are only on the lookout for a few substances, and typically only have three to five panels.
Drug testing is typically conducted in single cups in which the test subject is made to urinate. The cup has multiple panels that indicate the presence of specified substances in the urine. The more common tests would not indicate the presence of Tramadol because opioid drugs are not always among the abused substance being tested.
Extended toxicology tests, however, are often required by government agencies, especially for those in sensitive positions, and by some private employers. These assays are designed to be sensitive to more commonly abused substances, whether in the therapeutic arena or even as recreational drugs on the street. Included in these single-cup screens are cannabinoids, amphetamines, cocaine, phencyclidine (PCP), and opiates. These higher-end test cups could have 10 to 12 panels that can be read within minutes of sample collection.
With the use of these more extensive tests, the final answer to the query, “Will tramadol make you fail a drug test?” is a definite “Yes.”
As employers, we value safety and productivity in the workplace. After all, healthy and productive employees are keys to business success. This is why more and more businesses are investing on various health and wellness programs for their employees, from mindfulness training to developing a drug free workplace program.
This might be a tall order for most private companies, especially with the recent developments in the legalization of marijuana in almost half of the states. Some employers are caught in between, especially when the situation involves creative employees in private companies – how should they deal with employees that do not comply with the Drug Free Workplace Act – considering lawsuits have been filed against employers for invasion of privacy, wrongful discharge, defamation, and discrimination?
Although private companies are not legally required to have drug free workplace policies of any kind, many firms have sponsored elaborate and extensive pro-grams to control alcohol and drug misuse since 1980. They believe that positive results in drug tests are related to impairments in job performance, attendance, and safety in the workplace.
With seven out of ten employees admitting to having drugs while at work, causing a $100 billion unrealized productivity due to substance abuse, what kind of employer would not be concerned?
So how can company owners promote a drug free workplace this 2020? Read on and find out.
How to Promote a Drug Free Workplace
1. Create and implement a strong and detailed policy
If you do not have an existing policy, create one. Be aware, however, that it will be best to seek the help of lawyers within your state as they are aware of the current drug policies that apply to you. They have extensive connections and resources to draw information from. Hiring a lawyer might mean an additional expense, but considering the benefits of having a drug free workplace, that added expenditure more than makes up for the cost.
2. Create a positive company culture
In this day and age, employees are no longer satisfied with perks and benefits, no matter how great they seem to be. Surveys show that a positive company culture – one that recognizes efforts, allows room for growth and flexibility of options, gives a sense of empowerment – makes happier, more productive, and more responsible employees who care about their jobs. And when an employee cares for his job, he knows the repercussions of taking drugs while at work.
3. Engage with your employees
How many employees do you have? Do you know them by name? Are you aware of the jobs they are doing for you? Do you have drug users in your company? If yes, do you have an idea why? Are they using it off work, as a form of recreation? Or to escape problems that seem to overwhelm them?
How would you know that Mr. Green, one of your most creative and exemplary employees, is suffering from chronic pain due to a vehicular accident a few years ago, and as a consequence, needs to take Amitriptyline, a drug that can cause a false positive, if you do not engage with them?
Without knowing that piece of information, you might fire him due to noncompliance with your drug free workplace policy. This might backfire if Mr. Green sues you for wrongful discharge and discrimination.
4. Perform regular drug testing
Some of your employees might disagree with this – but if you have a well-written policy that includes having a periodic drug test, a positive company culture with engaged employees – they will understand why this procedure needs to be done.
Having a drug free workplace will not only increase your employees’ productivity, lessen their absences, and ensure safety in the workplace. It will also help them live better, healthier lives for years to come.
For more topics like this, visit the Ovus Medical Blog. It contains information on drug testing in the workplace and related topics.
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