Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Jamestown, CO

What it is, How it works

The use of hair testing has become a significant method for identifying drug and alcohol use. It captures a long-term record of substance use by embedding biomarkers within the strands of hair as they grow. When cut close to the scalp, hair offers a detection timeframe of roughly three months for alcohol and drugs. The collection process of hair is straightforward, hard to tamper with, and easy to transport.

A 1.5-inch hair sample, consisting of around 200 strands (similar in size to a #2 pencil) taken nearest to the scalp, yields 100mg of hair, which is the optimal amount for both initial screening and confirmation. For EtG, add-ons, or tests exceeding 10 panels, a sample of 150mg is advisable. We suggest weighing the specimen using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is unobtainable, a comparable quantity of body hair may be collected. When we mention head hair, it pertains solely to scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

There are four primary stages in the lab processing of a drug test result: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the initial integration of a sample into a laboratory's system. This step verifies that the sample was properly sealed and dispatched, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and performs any additional data input not covered by an electronic chain of custody.

Screening is a preliminary, swift assessment for drug abuse. While Screening is a cost-efficient method to exclude drug usage in most samples, any positive result requires confirmation for legal validity. Samples that appear presumptively positive in the Screening necessitate further confirmation.

Should a sample appear presumptively positive during Screening, additional hair is taken from the initial sample for Preparation during Extraction. In this stage, drugs are extracted at significantly lower concentrations than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), which is why hair drug testing is one of the most complex methodologies.

Confirming any positive result from Screening is done using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Prior to confirmation, all presumptive positive samples are cleaned as needed. The complete laboratory workflow from Accessioning to Confirmation is assessed under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can trace drug use up to 90 days, unlike urine tests, which have a limited detection period.
• Challenges in falsification: Cheating a hair drug test is very difficult, thus enhancing the accuracy of the results.
• Historical usage patterns: It outlines a timeline of drug use rather than recent activity only.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent usage: Drugs need approximately 5-7 days before becoming detectable in hair.
• Expense: Hair testing is often more costly than alternative drug testing methods.
• Result inconsistencies: Variables such as hair color and personal hair growth variations can influence drug metabolite concentrations in the hair.

Note: The term "hair follicle tests" is occasionally used, but it is the hair strand analyzed, not the follicle underneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Jamestown, CO, hair follicle testing outshines urine tests due to its enhanced accuracy and dependability in substance detection.

Comparatively, hair testing in Jamestown, CO offers better detection accuracy than traditional urine assessments, offering reliability that employers can trust.

Extended Detection Window

In Jamestown, CO, hair follicle testing provides an extended detection window, outlining up to 90 days of substance history.

Employers in Jamestown, CO benefit from hair follicle testing’s long detection capacity, gaining a complete overview of an individual's drug use over time.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing in Jamestown, CO is inherently tamper-resistant, reducing the likelihood of adulteration and ensuring trustworthy results.

In Jamestown, CO, the design of hair testing minimizes the risk of sample tampering, resulting in unequivocal evidence of substance intake.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenience is key with nationwide testing centers including Jamestown, CO, offering seamless access to drug testing services.

Jamestown, CO residents enjoy hassle-free testing at numerous accessible centers, simplifying the drug test process.

Simple, Confidential Process

Jamestown, CO presents a straightforward and confidential hair follicle testing process, prioritizing privacy with ease from start to finish.

In Jamestown, CO, the hair testing procedure remains both simple and private, addressing privacy and ease concerns effectively.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Competitive pricing and rapid results are the hallmark of hair follicle testing in Jamestown, CO, offering outstanding value to businesses.

Jamestown, CO businesses benefit from cost-effective hair testing solutions paired with swift result turnaround, ensuring value and assurance.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Experience the efficiency of hair follicle drug testing in Jamestown, CO, where precision meets speed. These tests deliver high accuracy in detecting substance intake, ensuring reliable outcomes.

In Jamestown, CO, hair follicle testing offers unmatched accuracy in noting substance usage. Its procedural efficiency means results are both swift and precise.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Jamestown, CO employers find peace of mind with hair follicle testing, ensuring adherence to drug-free policies while reducing legal liabilities and enhancing safety.

Hair follicle testing in Jamestown, CO promotes compliance with workplace standards, aiding in legal risk mitigation and safe practices.

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What's New In Hair Follicle Drug Testing according to the Hair Drug Testing Experts

With its multidisciplinary nature, hair testing brings together researchers, scientists, and experts from various domains to develop innovative techniques, explore new methodologies, and address emerging concerns, responding to the ever-evolving challenges of drug abuse, therapeutic drug monitoring, and environmental exposures to pollutants.

The joint meeting of the Society of Hair Testing (SoHT) and the Italian Group of Forensic Toxicologists (GTFI) was organized in Verona, June 8–10, 2022, and hosted by the Legal Medicine team of the Verona University Hospital, directed by Franco Tagliaro together with Federica Bortolotti and Rossella Gottardo.

It served as a prominent platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration, facilitating groundbreaking advancements in hair testing and analysis. In this special issue of Drug Testing and Analysis, we aim to showcase the remarkable manuscripts presented at this significant event, shedding light on the latest research and highlighting the future directions in this field.

Novel Analytical Techniques: The Verona meeting witnessed the unveiling of cutting-edge analytical techniques, offering enhanced sensitivity, selectivity, and accuracy for drug testing. Remarkable advancements in sample preparation, detection, and identification of drug compounds have been presented. The manuscripts in this section presented novel approaches, such as multianalyte methods and on-line preparation which can enable rapid analysis and improve thorough forensic investigations.

Biomarkers and Pharmacokinetics: The identification and validation of reliable biomarkers and pharmacokinetic studies are fundamental aspects of drug testing and analysis. The impact of hair treatments on the oxidation/decomposition of drugs in hair was also explored, as the long-term fate of drugs incorporated in the keratin matrix. Furthermore, the SoHT meeting in Verona featured research on the identification and quantification of alcohol abuse biomarkers, their stability, and their correlation with exposure and other biomarkers.

Forensic Applications and Interpretation: One of the vital objectives of hair testing is its application in forensic investigations and legal proceedings. The SoHT meeting in Verona emphasized the significance of rigorous interpretation of analytical results and the need for standardized protocols. Manuscripts in this section present advancements in forensic toxicology, and have explored the challenges posed by emerging designer drugs and strategies to combat their proliferation. The pitfalls encountered when the exogenous/endogenous nature of a substance is questioned were presented and discussed. The special issue presents also manuscripts that delve into the ethical implications of drug testing in drug facilitated sexual assaults.

Clinical Applications of hair testing are witnessed by the insight on environmental tobacco smoke exposure, assessed by hair analysis in a population of students and the study of in utero-exposure to drugs of abuse through neonatal hair analysis. Exposure to drugs was also important in cases of child abuse/neglect, when the clinical purpose of hair testing merge with its forensic applications.

The legal framework surrounding hair testing and the achievement of guidelines to ensure fairness, accuracy, and confidentiality in drug testing practices have also been discussed,and the SoHT consensus on general hair testing and testing for drugs of abuse was presented at the meeting and published as a Letter to the Editor.

In conclusion, the special issue of Drug Testing and Analysis, featuring manuscripts from the SoHT–GTFI meeting in Verona 2022, reflects the remarkable advancements achieved in this field. The manuscripts provide valuable insights into novel analytical techniques, biomarkers, pharmacokinetics, forensic applications, and ethical considerations. As we embrace these advancements, we pave the way for a safer, healthier society, where drug testing and analysis serve as powerful tools in protecting public health and maintaining integrity in various sectors. The research presented in this special issue will undoubtedly shape the future of drug testing and analysis, fostering collaboration and inspiring further innovation in this crucial area of scientific inquiry.

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