The importance of drug testing programs is immense. As an employer, it is necessary for you to implement drug testing policies to make sure that the workplace is safe, secure, and efficient. There are several options for you to consider. While implementing a drug-testing program. Various kinds of drug tests are used, the most common of which is the urine drug test. With better and better drug testing kits coming forth to get more accurate results, there are different options to consider when you’re utilizing drug test kits for urine drug tests. This guide will explain different panel drug tests to help you decide which one will be the best for you to use for your drug testing program.
Panel Drug Testing – What Is It?
Different panel drug testing essentially entails checking for specific drugs in the urine of a subject. Each drug’s presence in an appropriate amount will test positive for the drug linked to that panel. For instance, a 6 panel drug test is the most basic among the different options. It can detect 5 different drugs within a single specimen. Namely, it looks for the presence of these drugs:
- Amphetamines
- Opiates
- Marijuana
- Phencyclidine
- Cocaine
Beyond The Basic Drug Test
Of course, the 6 panel drug test is just the most basic. It cannot detect the wider range of drugs that people with substance abuse problems might use, and therefore, it is not that effective. Higher panel drug tests like the 6 panel drug tests and 12 panel drug tests can detect a wider range of drugs in a person. Essentially, with each number that the panel increases, you getting the option of one drug tested for while conducting the urine drug test. Here is a look at different panel drug tests and the drugs that can detected by them.
- Amphetamine
- Barbiturates
- Benzodiazepines
- Buprenorphine
- Cocaine
- Opiates/Morphine
6 Panel Drug Tests
6 panel drug tests already detect the drugs mentioned in the 5 panel drug tests. They are also able to detect Benzodiazepines. Benzodiazepines are potent psychoactive drugs. These prescription medications utilized for the treatment of panic attacks and anxiety disorders. They are also very effective in dealing with seizures and treating the withdrawal symptoms from alcohol abuse.
You might have heard of some of the common benzodiazepines like Valium and Xanax. When these drugs are abused, it can cause fatigue, dizziness, and weakness in a person. This makes it necessary to conduct a 6 panel drug test when employees handle sensitive equipment and heavy machinery at the job.
- Amphetamine
- Barbiturates
- Benzodiazepines
- Buprenorphine
- Cocaine
- Opiates/Morphine
10 Panel Drug Tests
A 10 panel drug test adds four more detectable substances to the list. Other than being able to detect marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, phencyclidine, opiates, and benzodiazepines, here are the drugs that it is also able to detect:
-
- Amphetamine
- Benzodiazepines
- Buprenorphine
- Cocaine
- Ecstasy
- Marijuana
- Methadone
- Opiates/Morphine
- Oxycodone
- Methamphetamine
Barbiturates are a sedative drug that helps fight insomnia and anxiety. It has an impact on the brain that is similar to alcohol as a depressant. They frequently abused by people and have known to a choice of drug for suicidal people. This makes them very dangerous.
These drugs inhibit a sense of extreme drowsiness and confusion in a person. Quaalude is the name for the drug called methaqualone. This drug is essentially a muscle relaxant which used as an aphrodisiac and a recreational muscle relaxant. While they are no longer abused in the country, it still serves companies to test this drug.
You might have heard mention of the drug in popular culture through the movie “Wolf of Wall Street.” It depicts the effects of the drug and how badly it can debilitate a person. It’s always safer to test for drug abuse with methaqualone through a comprehensive high panel drug test like a 10 panel drug test.
12 Panel Drug Test
A 12 panel drug test adds more drugs to the list that can be detected through urine drug tests. The 12 panel drug test makes one of the most comprehensive means to detect any substance abuse to ensure a safe working environment. It can point out substance abuse in any employee and alert the employers to take the appropriate course of action to deal with the issue.
The 12 panel drug test adds on:
-
- Amphetamine
- Barbiturates
- Benzodiazepines
- Buprenorphine
- Cocaine
- Ecstasy
- Marijuana
- Methadone
- Opiates/Morphine
- Oxycodone
- Methamphetamine
- Tricyclic Antidepressants
Both of these are specialty drugs that cannot be detected by lower panel drug tests. These are also popular choices of drugs with people that have substance abuse problems. 12 panel drug tests are also more thorough in detecting the opiates and pain killers, which lower panel drug tests can miss out on.
Typically used in industries that carry much responsibility, 12 panel drug tests are the most effective method of testing for substance abuse. They are considered to be more effective than lab-based testing because they save time when it comes to detecting the specialty drugs people use. Standard lab testing cannot detect the use of ecstasy in a person.
Propoxyphene is also known as Davron
It requires secondary tests, which cost a lot more for the employer to use, and they take more time to produce results. 12 panel drug tests can detect the use of all these drugs within a matter of minutes after submitting the specimens. Propoxyphene is also known as Davron. This is a very addictive narcotic pain killer. This drug is dangerous because of the numbing effects that it has on its own, but it also interacts dangerously with alcohol or other medication presents within the system.
It has several side effects for the substance abuser, including fainting, slowed heartbeat, and confusion, causing seizures. The dangers because of the effects of propoxyphene abuse at the workplace cannot emphasize enough. A comprehensive high panel drug test like the 12 panel drug test can help employers determine employees’ role better in the company if they are in so much pain that they have to resort to this narcotic pain killer.
Choosing The Right Panel Drug Test
Many companies do not have legal requirements that mandate testing beyond the 6 panel drug tests. This means that if your company belongs to an industry where safety is not that much of a concern and employees are working in a low-risk environment, conducting a 6 panel drug test will serve you just fine. That being said, choosing the right high panel drug test requires several factors to taken into consideration:
Corporate Environment
When it comes to the corporate environment, the considerations for high panel drug tests might be different from other industries. The employees working in the corporate environment are typically high-paid employees with white-collar jobs. Substance abuse is not limited to any pay grade. It can just mean that the choice of substance might get a little fancier as you go higher in salary slips that employees take home.
Employees with high salary white-collar jobs are more likely to resort to abusing designer drugs and specialty drugs. The stockbroker culture in the 80s is the biggest example to consider. Substance abuse involving the use of cocaine was rampant back in those days, and it continues to be a problem even now.
The recent times have seen additional drugs coming into the mix as well. Provigil, Adderall, and Ritalin are a few of the new drugs abused in the corporate culture. High panel drug tests like the 12 panel drug test and 10 panel drug tests make effective methods to discourage drug abuse in corporate culture.
Industry-Specific Factors
Different industries have different requirements when it comes to drug testing needs. The Department of Transportation, for instance, requires the 5 panel drug test as part of the hiring process. An annual drug test and a random drug test every year.
Opting for a 6 panel drug test would be a better option since it can detect more drugs. The construction industry entails high risk. If nobody involved with substance abuse while on the job. There is a high likelihood of workplace accidents. Employees are operating heavy machinery in a dangerous working environment.
The use of any drugs can impair workers and increase the risk of accidents in an already dangerous working environment. Conducting a high panel drug test like the 10 panel drug test or the 12 panel drug test is mandatory in a high-risk environment.
Final Thoughts
Two of the biggest issues that plagued the aspect of implementing drug testing programs. Some Years ago were the wastage of time and the highly expensive lab testing procedures. Drug testing apparatus has come a long way with instant drug tests like the ones available at Ovus Medical. They provide accurate and reliable results for drug tests within a matter of minutes. Additionally, the expense for conducting these drug tests is significantly lower because only the drug testing cups need to used. There is no transportation of samples to and from the lab. It can all done in-house.