Multiple methods of drug testing and screening
Drug Testing is one of the newest ways that employers can screen potential employees for a job opening. This concept is relatively new and still controversial in some areas. Drug Testing got its first mainstream appearance in the 1980’s as American governmental positions began being accompanied by the prerequisite that a drug test be passed by the prospective employee. Now drug testing is used in all walks of life and all industries at the employer’s decision. There are numbers ways of performing drug testing. The three most common of these ways are blood sample, urine sample, and hair sample from the individual. Any of these three samples can provide a lab technician with information regarding the individuals drug use, however each of these techniques have their own advantages as well as drawbacks.
Blood drug testing is thus far the most common form of drug testing and is a simple procedure. A lab technician will take a blood sample from a specimen. The technician will than return to his lab and perform test on the blood sample to determine if traces of drugs are present in the individuals blood sample. The next form that is commonly used is a saliva sample. This method works in much the same way as the blood sample testing, but here we substitute the blood with saliva and extract the results via lab work. Finally, the hair drug testing method is a relatively new procedure that has been able to offer a new look at drug testing. The hair method is the easiest sample to collect, and in many cases can offer results even months after a drug is ingested.
Because of its invasiveness as well as its effectiveness hair drug testing is becoming one of the most heavily relied on forms of drug testing. Although not everyone agrees with drug testing, is has come to be standard along with many job applications these days. However, as more and more techniques for drug testing are developed and employed, it becomes easier and easier to look into someone’s recent and distant pass. However with this recent technological breakthroughs the issue of individuals constitutional rights has evolved. On the first side of the argument are those that are for drug testing. Their argument is simply that if you want to work, and the company demands a drug test than one must submit to it, or find other work. Although this seems air tight there have been some who have made the argument that drug testing is a moral divide, and those who realize that is wrong are on the high ground. The reason that they consider drug testing a slap across their constitutional rights is because certain tests, like the hair test for example, have a range of anywhere up to and beyond a year after drug use. Those arguing against drug testing claim this breaches their personal lives and clearly digs too far. The other argument against them has to do with their habitual and random use. Some companies, in an effort to reduce or abolish drug use within their workers simply give drug tests throughout the life of ones employment at random. This than, workers argue, prevents them from owning their own personal time. Regardless of stance on the issue, drug testing is here to stay.
Disclaimer: Cliff Schaffer does not personally endorse or support any of the comments made within the writings of this article. |
