Origin Diagnostics Drug Testing

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K2 or Spice

There is a new craze going around America’s youth. It’s called K2 herbal incense. This unique blend of herbal ingredients is becoming very popular among today’s society. Before K2 incense was more of an underground ordeal however in the past 90 days it has grown rapid acknowledgment. It is technically sold as an incense that is meant to be burned without oral consumption. Word has gotten around though that when smoked, similar to the fashion of how people smoke marijuana, it offers the same or similar effects. Many people have actually labeled and coined this type of herb as ’synthetic marijuana’.

This term is quite becoming because that is pretty much exactly what it is. K2 incense by itself is just a variety of herbs including canavalia rosea, clematis vitalba, nelumbo nucifera and a few other botanical herbs that when smoked by themselves would produce no effect. Where K2 gets its added experience is in the synthetic chemical compound that it is sprayed with, JWH-018 which acts as a cannabinoid agonist at both the CB1 and CB2 receptors in the human brain. It produces effects in humans very similar to those of THC itself, but with a longer duration of action. Addiction is very rare, as one test subject used JWH-018 for 8 months straight and withdrawal symptoms were fairly mild.

Although not federal regulated, senators and legislation in various states have tried to pass laws to criminalize the chemical compound or any herb sprayed with it. So far the only two states that have made it illegal to possess or traffic K2 incense are only Kentucky and Kansas. Other countries typically in Europe have also made it illegal. Many people however have voted to control the substance instead of criminalizing it. A majority of people do believe that criminalizing something like this wastes lawmakers time and produces unnecessary criminals in today’s society.

Many employers require drug testing for new and existing employees. To date, K2 does not show up on drug tests, but a testing method will no doubt become available if K2 is declared illegal nationwide. By then it may be too late for many young adults who test positive from frequent long-term use.

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This question is asked by many different people, and for good reason. Marijuana is the most commonly used and tested for drug in the United States and several other countries as well. Marijuana is also the drug that is more likely to stay in your system for days, weeks, or even an entire month after the last time that you smoke.

Therefore, even though marijuana is one of the least harmful drugs out there, it is also the most likely drug to cause you to fail a drug test.

When you ask the question “How long does marijuana stay in your system?” you need to take into account the fact that there is no simple answer to this question. Quite simply, it’s argued both that THC never leaves your brain, as well as that there are several different factors which can affect whether or not you test positive for marijuana use.

The speed at which marijuana leaves your body depends both on the speed of your metabolism, as well as on the half life of THC. Unlike most other substances, the half-life of THC can vary quite a bit, depending on who is using it, when it’s used, and several other factors. For example, it’s estimated that THC can have a half life that ranges anywhere from 1-10 days. It’s almost impossible to find out what that half life is, which means that it is very difficult to use it to calculate how long it will take for all of the THC to leave your body.

Not only that, but your metabolism and how much marijuana you smoked will also have an effect on the length of time that it will take you before you can test without testing positive for marijuana use. After all, the half-life is only the length of time that it takes for you to lose half of the THC that is in your system. If you’ve smoked a lot of marijuana, then it will take you longer before the THC in your body drops back below the amount that is detectable by most drug tests.

For this reason, when you ask “How long does marijuana stay in your system?” you have to realize that it’s very unlikely that you’ll be able to get a usable answer. The most common period of time is anywhere from 3-30 days, depending on your metabolism and the amount of marijuana that you’ve smoked. This is unfortunate, since it means that while most drug tests can only turn up evidence of other drugs if you’ve been taking the drug within a few days of the drug test, marijuana could still be detected in a urine test up to a month after the last time it is used.

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Be aware that certain foods and over-the-counter medications can cause you to test “positive” for various kinds of drugs.

Poppy seeds, for example, can show up on a drug test as morphine. Cold remedies that contain codeine can also cause a positive result for morphine.

Valium reportedly can produce erroneous indications of phencyclidine (PCP), and other cold remedies can apparently produce false reports of methamphetamine usage.

Dextromethorphan can produce a falsely positive qualitative urine opiate screening.

The widespread availability of hemp-containing products, including everything from hemp-seed oil nutritional supplements to hemp-seed candy, cookies, cheese, bread, cooking oil, and general seasoning, means that ingesting ANY of these products could potentially cause a false positive result on a test for marijuana.

Ibuprofen, contained in Advil, Nuprin, and Mortin, can make a positive result for marijauna. The EMIT test (an immunoassay test) has therefore been changed to use a different enzyme to eliminate false positives due to Ibuprofen. Ibuprofen in very high doses will still interfere with both the EMIT and the gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) test.

Ibuprofen is a common pain reliever that (even in low dosages) used to cause a false THC positive on the EMIT test. The EMIT has been changed to use a different enzyme to eliminate false positives due to Ibuprofen. Ibuprofen in very high doses will still interfere with both the EMIT and the GC-MS. There is some conflicting data here because some sources say that the GC-MS tests can distinguish between Ibuprofen and THC (as well as other over-the-counter drugs).

Common over the counter cold, asthma, and allergy remedies and diet pills such as Diatec, Dexatrim, Cotylenol, Triaminic, Primatene, Bronkotabs, and Nyquil can show up as positive for amphetamines.

Vicks Formula-44, Demerol, Mydol, Primatene-M and common prescription antidepressants such as Elavil and Tofanil can show up as positive for opiates such as opium and heroin.

Ephedra, also known as Ephedra Alkaloids or “MaHuang Extract” has a chemical structure which is closely related to amphetamine, and can reportedly give a false positive for amphetamines. Often sold as an “energy pill” it is an effective decongestant in low doses.

Valerian root is reported to cause false positives for benzodiazepines. Other herbal supplements such as Kava Kava and St Johns Wort may also affect body chemistry such that false positives are produced.

Zoloft (Wellbutrin) is reported to cause false positives in urine screens, although for what specific substance isn’t clear.

Primatene can also show up as positive for barbiturates, and Benadryl can show up positive for Methadone.

Some additional over the counter medicines that may cause various kinds of drug test interactions include Alka-Seltzer plus, Allerest, Bronkaid, Contac, Donnagel, Sinuntab, and Sudafed.

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The detection times in urine are significantly greater than detection times in blood, which is also generally much more expensive. The presence of a drug or drugs in urine does not provide information as to whether the individual is actually under the influence at any particular time. Likewise, no determination can be made from urine as to the amount of the dose or the time of the dose.

Blood testing, on the other hand may provide more suitable information about whether or not an individual is “under the influence”, though this may not be conclusive in all cases.

Urine drug testing accuracy is variable depending on how the testing is done. Drug testing is extremely accurate and reliable when all aspects of the testing process are done properly. On the other hand, the information obtained may be very misleading and inaccurate when poor procedures or testing methods are utilized. Drug testing will only be reliable when the consumer knows how it should be done and then demands from the industry that it is done properly.

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When the subject of drug testing is discussed, most people think of marijuana, cocaine, heroin or ecstasy – but did you know that there is also a drug test for tobacco usage? That’s right, the same immunoassay technology that is used to detect illicit drugs can also be used to detect cotinine – a metabolite created when the body processes nicotine.

Testing for the presence of cotinine is a standard test to determine if a person is a tobacco user. Cotinine is found in urine from 2 to 4 days after tobacco use. By testing a urine sample, much like a pregnancy test, the tester can detect cotinine.

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The following list represents the positive aspects of saliva drug tests:

• They provide samples that are acquired under direct observation.
• They present a minimal risk of tampering.
• They spare patients the discomfort of repeated vein punctures.
• They are non-invasive.
• They present no risk of infection, thrombosis, or anemia.
• They present lower total testing costs since no special staff training is required for collection.
• They provide for samples that can be collected easily in almost any environment.
• They can detect alcohol use.
• They reflect recent drug use.
• They provide a relatively short window of detection, approximately 10 to 24 hours.

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Chain of custody is the term used to describe the process of ensuring and providing documentation of proper specimen identification and handling from the time of specimen collection to the reporting of laboratory results. If laboratory results were to be legally challenged, the ability to prove that the specimen was handled according to strict chain of custody procedures is essential. The chain of custody protocol assures the specimen belongs to the individual whose information is printed on the specimen container label, no post-collection adulteration or tampering has taken place, exactly who had possession of the specimen and when, how the specimen was transported and stored before it was analyzed, no unauthorized access to the specimen was possible, and the specimen was handled in a secure manner.

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Recently there has been extensive research on the use of saliva in drug testing. A person’s saliva has certain advantages and certain disadvantages when comparing the use of urine in testing for the presence of drugs. The most obvious advantage is simply that the collection procedure is easier and less prone to possible efforts to beat the drug test by substituting a clean drug test sample as is sometimes the case in urine drug testing. The ease at which a person’s saliva can be tested make  saliva drug tests less invasive than other forms of drug testing. The collection of saliva for saliva drug tests is easier and safer when compared to urine or blood.

It simply involves using a swab that looks very similar to a common toothbrush but in place of bristles a pad that servers, to collect the saliva in the mouththe pad is then placed between the lower cheek and gum for about two minutes. Once saturated with saliva the pad is then transfered to a collection vial. Many of the most commonly abused drugs can be detected in saliva including marijuana, thc, heroin, cocaine and amphetamines.
However there are disadvantages and those mostly relate to the short drug detection time limitation of saliva drug tests.
Simply put saliva cannot be used to detect historical drug use.
Most drugs do not linger in saliva and disappear in anywhere from twelve to twenty four hours. Because of this saliva testing is being considered for drug detection in situations where recent drug use must be detected including vehicle and equipment drivers, those involved in workplace or other accidents and not as a use to detect past drug use.
What is saliva? The actual medical definition of saliva is oral liquids produced by the many saliva glands in the human anatomy. The average adult produces in excess of one thousand millileters of saliva on a daily basis.
How reliable are saliva drug tests? An extensive study by the University of Utah in Salt Lake City concludes that it is a reliable method for drug detection. The universities’ Center for Human Toxicology concluded that drug use and drug concentrations can be determined by analyzing saliva.

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It is a screening device. One of the best ways to protect your business is to aggressively screen out alcohol or drug abusers before they become employees. Drug tests can help pinpoint those who are dependent on alcohol and drugs.
It is a defensive tool. Giving applicants a drug test protects your company from negligent hiring claims arising from violence or safety violations. It is also true that drug abusers tend to avoid firms that test.
It may be a legal requirement. For certain safety-sensitive positions and occupations, drug and alcohol testing of applicants is mandated by federal or state law.

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Drug testing amongst employees is carried out by employers in order to find out about problems related to drug addiction amongst their employees. As the problem of drug addiction is a very serious one which affects the professional life of a person, it is in the best interests of the company to find out if any of their employees are indulging in any drug related malpractices.

Though drug testing requires an initial investment by the company, the benefits it provides are many. Most companies follow a two pronged strategy; they screen all new recruits for drug abuse, and also carry out random checks among their existing team members. As drug abuse spreads like cancer, it is better to find out the root of the problem, if it exists, and remove it as soon as possible. This will lead to a much healthier working environment at the organization. Absenteeism due to drug abuse related diseases will be reduced. Problems arising out of accidents at the workplace and also that of turnover will be reduced. As a combination of the above factors the productivity of the company goes up and as a result it enhances the profit margins of the company.