Blood Testing: The Pros and Cons
Blood testing is not the most common form of drug screening. It is more likely to be used for employment screening or corporate drug testing. Because it is expensive and requires a blood sample, it is generally saved for serious employment concerns or health insurance screening.
The period of detection for blood testing is normally short, within hours. One of the main reasons blood testing proves difficult is because collecting samples for a blood drug screen requires a skilled person to take the sample. Not only does the sample collector need to be cautious about collecting blood for the sake of the individual being tested, but the collector must be cautious about infectious diseases that are blood borne.
When testing for blood drug, passing test criteria can be a concern. Drugs are metabolized differently for different people and so the guidelines for passing a blood drug test are not the same for each person. The strength of the drug used, the amount of drugs used, the frequency of drug use, the method of administering the drug, and the combination of drugs may affect how the body metabolizes the drugs within a person’s system and whether or not it will show up on a drug screen. Individual factors that can affect how long a drug remains in a person’s system include tolerance, sex, age, health, and metabolism.
If drugs have been used, they will show up in a drug test until they are metabolized by the body. Therefore, the only way to speed up their elimination is to speed up one’s metabolism. Some people may try to do this with exercise. Excessive exercise may be dangerous to the person.
There are ways to try to ‘cheat’ a drug test. However, with a blood test, it is difficult to tamper with the sample. A urine sample can be tampered with in an unsecure sampling environment, but there are adulterant tests that detect the ‘tricks’ used to tamper with the drug test.
Blood drug testing is generally used for very recent drug use. Urine testing shows drug use for a longer period of time, while blood testing is for a range of within approximately two hours of use. Urine testing is used often because of the ease of use and the accuracy of the results. For a less expensive drug test with greater accuracy and detecting a larger time frame of drug use, consider using a urine test such as a 2-Drug Test Card tests for methamphetamine (mAMP) and marijuana (THC). For only $2.25 a test for meth can be performed with privacy and an accuracy level of 95% to 98%. The test is FDA approved, using SAMSHA cut off limits. The test can be done with discretion in the privacy of the home.
Blood testing does provide a sample that is not likely to have been tampered with, but it is also a more expensive and an invasive technique. Many people prefer the convenience and accuracy of a urine drug test.
Tags: blood drug passing test, blood drug screen, blood drug test, blood drug testing, blood testing
