Pros
- Highest assurance of reliable results.
- Least expensive.
- Most flexibility in testing different drugs, including alcohol and nicotine.
- Most likely of all drug-testing methods to withstand legal challenge.
- Most common specimen collected.
Cons
- Specimen can be adulterated, substituted, or diluted.
- Must have facilities to accommodate proper collection protocols.
- Test sometimes viewed as invasive or embarrassing.
- Biological hazard for specimen handling and shipping to lab.
- Must have same gender collector.
Pros
- Longer window of detection.
- Greater stability (does not deteriorate).
- Can measure chronic drug use.
- Convenient shipping and storage (no need to refrigerate).
- Collection procedure not considered invasive or embarrassing.
- More difficult to adulterate than urine.
- Detects alcohol/cocaine combination use.
- Very difficult to adulterate.
Cons
- More expensive.
- Test usually limited to basic 5-drug panel.
- Will not detect very recent drug use (1 to 7 days prior to test).
Detection Window
- Depends on the length of hair in the sample. Hair grows about a half-inch per month, so a 1-inch specimen would show a 3-month history.
Pros
- Sample obtained under direct observation.
- Minimal risk of tampering.
- Non-invasive.
- Can detect alcohol use.
- Samples can be collected easily in virtually any environment.
- Reflects recent drug use.
Cons
- Drugs and drug metabolites do not remain in oral fluids as long as they do in urine.
- Less efficient than other testing methods in detecting marijuana use.
Detection Window
- Approximately 10 to 24 hours.
Detailed information about oral saliva drug detection window.
Pros
- Non-invasive.
- Variable removal date (generally 1 to 7 days).
- Quick application and removal.
- Longer window of detection than urine.
- No sample substitution possible.
Cons
- Limited number of labs able to process results.
- People with skin eruptions, excessive hair, or cuts and abrasions cannot wear the patch.
- Passive exposure to drugs may contaminate patch and affect results.
Detection Window
- Patch retains evidence of drug use for at least 7 days, and can detect even low levels of drugs 2 to 5 hours after last use.
Pros
- Very difficult to adulterate.
- Each collection is done under direct observation.
- Longer use/abuse history reflected.
- Less frequent testing due to the detection time covered.
- Facility accommodations for the specimen is easy.
- Alternative specimen to body hair, in the event there is not enough hair available for collection.
Cons
- More expensive than urine testing.
- Ten (10) nails will be clipped and their surfaces filed.
- Nails take 10 - 14 days to grow out from nail bed from time of ingestion.
Detection Window
- 4 - 6 MONTHS.