Serenity Wellness, LLC is proud to be partnered with Atlas Diagnostic Laboratories, LLC and Nepenthe Laboratory Services for all our drug testing and toxicology needs.
A toxicology test (drug test or “tox screen”) looks for traces of drugs in your urine using the EMIT process through state-of-the-art laboratory testing on a toxicology analyzer. You may need to be tested because of the courts, probation and/or parole, pre-trial release from incarceration, a policy where you work or go to school, or any number of other reasons. Your primary care provider or a Judge could also order a toxicology test to help you get treatment for substance abuse or keep your recovery on track.
How Does It Work?
A toxicology test can’t show if you have an addiction problem. It also can’t pinpoint how much of a drug you’ve used or when. It’s only able to tell if certain drugs are (or have recently been) in your body.
Long after you inhale, inject, or ingest them, legal and illegal drugs leave clues in your body. Traces of opiates are still in your urine a days after you take them. Signs of marijuana can last weeks to months.
A toxicology test can screen for:
- Amphetamines
- Barbiturates
- Cocaine
- Methamphetamine
- Marijuana
- Opiates
- Phencyclidine (PCP)
- Drugs banned from competitive sports
- And many others
Why Do I Need a Toxicology Test?
There are different reasons that you may need to have a drug screen. Your new job, school, or insurance policy could require it. Many sporting programs expect players to have one.
Your primary care provider may also order this test if you:
- Are in treatment for drug addiction
- Show signs of substance abuse
- Have problems with your mental health
- Have been taking a controlled drug for a long period of time
A drug test can also be ordered for legal reasons. You may be required to take one if you’ve been accused of a crime. The same goes for many people who are on probation and/or parole.
How Is It Given?
Most of the time, a sample of your urine will be tested. You’ll be asked to pee into a cup. The sample will then be tested at a lab.
Sometimes, sweat, a strand of hair, or saliva from your mouth is used instead of blood or urine. In extreme cases, other body fluids are checked.
Before your test, let your primary care provider know what drugs you’ve taken in the past few days. Make sure to include over-the-counter medicines and supplements.
Depending on the type of test you have, you should get your results within 24 to 48 hours.
What Do the Results Mean?
Your test will come back with one of two results:
Positive: At least a trace of one or more drugs was found in your sample. If this happens, another test is done to confirm the result. This second test is more precise and can identify the type of drug more specifically.
Negative: No drugs were found in your system. This could be because you’ve never taken the types of drugs the test was looking for or, if you have, your body has already processed them.
Some products claim they can help you pass a drug test, but there’s no proof any of them working. If you know that you’re going to be asked to take a toxicology test, your best bet is not to use drugs. If you do use them, your primary care provider can give you advice on how to stop.