6 Things To Know Before Using Home Drug Tests

By Clinton Courier | March 9, 2022 |

Drug tests are used to detect if a person has some sort of substance in their system. The rapid advancement in technology has made it possible to conduct drug tests from the comfort of your home. The stigma around drugs has made many people uncomfortable to go to the hospital or clinic for drug testing which often leads to further problems. At-home drug tests can help find traces of various substances that classify as drugs in samples including saliva, urine, hair, or breath. The most common at-home drug tests are either urine or saliva tests because they’re the easiest to use and mostly provide accurate results.

At-home drug tests come with two options: self-tests, and self-collection tests. Self-tests can be done quickly and provide results almost instantly. Whereas, self-collection tests require you to take a sample and send it to the laboratory. Results are available within a few days and are usually sent to you through email or via text message. While there are numerous advantages to using at-home drug tests, there can be some latent issues. On that note, here are 6 things you should know before using one.

1. Test Results Can Be A False-Positive

On some occasions, these tests aren’t as accurate as they claim to be and should therefore always be double-checked for any issues in the system. For instance, a test might show traces of marijuana weeks or even months after use. It may also detect traces of your legal pain medication, and consider it as marijuana or other types of drugs. Allergy meds are often confused with amphetamines and other meds get traced as tranquilizers. Although inaccurate results aren’t common, you shouldn’t rely solely on one test that gave you a false-positive result.

2. Not Every Drug Can Be Detected

While there are many types of drugs that can be detected with an at-home testing kit, most tests are designed to detect specific drugs. Tests vary based on the type of drug to be detected and the sample to be used. Some tests simply identify the drug itself, while others trace the metabolites or by-products of the drug. The different types of drugs that can be detected by an at-home kit include:

Marijuana
Cocaine
Opioids
Nicotine
Alcohol
Amphetamines
Benzodiazepines
Phencyclidine (PCP)

The disadvantage of at-home testing is that it won’t be able to detect newer or less common drugs. Moreover, the results will only show trace amounts of the drug used and won’t be able to predict the quantity consumed.

3. Provides Convenience And Quick Results

The best part about getting tested at home is the level of convenience this provides. This way, you won’t have to book an appointment at a laboratory or hospital to get your results. Plus, a great advantage of these kits is they aren’t as expensive as one would expect and are easy to use. All you need to do is take the sample, follow the instructions on the kit, and wait for the results. The result itself is almost instant. The maximum you’d have to wait is around 5 to 10 minutes tops.

4. Requires Confirmation Testing

Self-tests often provide inaccurate results and need to be double-checked by a healthcare professional. Plus, the results given by a self-test are not definitive and may vary with further lab testing. Therefore, before you purchase one, be sure to check if the test requires further laboratory testing.

5. Different Types Are Available

In addition to the different types of tests on the basis of sample type, and drug to be detected, self-testing kits also come classified on the basis of their working mechanism. For instance, urine testing kits work on two mechanisms, immunoassay, and mass spectrometry. The former type is faster and cheaper, however, it can result in false negatives and positives. Whereas, the latter is considered to be more accurate. These tests can also be used in combination for more accurate results.

6. Tests Only Detect Recent Drug Use

While some tests can detect drugs used weeks, or even months, before the test, most are designed to detect only recent usage. In some instances, this quality is desirable, however, in others, it can give misleading results. It is therefore necessary to pay attention to the specifications of the test before you get one.

At-home drug testing kits provide a huge advantage but also come with certain problems. So, it’s essential you understand how exactly these tests work before considering their results to be completely accurate. Moreover, be sure to purchase the right type of test based on the substance you are trying to detect.