Hair Drug Testing Drugs of Abuse Hair Testing

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1 90 DAY DRUG USE HISTORY Convenient, Tamper-Resistant Collections Hair Drug Testing Drugs of Abuse Hair Testing Product Specification The technology capitalises on the way the body metabolises ingested drugs as they flow through the blood stream and deposit in the cortex of the hair. Hair is stable and the deposits are permanently embedded in the hair, so hair acts like a tape recorder recording drug deposits in proportion to the use over time as drugs are deposited in proportion to use. Hair testing analyses for drugs within the hair shaft, rather than body fluids like urine or saliva, to determine whether drugs of abuse are present. Compared to analysis of body fluids, hair testing is highly resistant to evasion by adulterating or substituting samples, or by simply abstaining from drug use for a few days. Unlike urine drug testing, which may only detect drug use within the past 2-3 days, hair testing is able to detect a pattern of repetitive drug use for up to 90 days. A hair test is the most effective way to evaluate long-term patterns of use, making it an excellent option for a pre-employment or random testing programs and child custody cases info@drugdetection.co.za

2 Hair Drug Testing Drugs of Abuse Hair Testing Urine Testing is Ineffective For Pre-Employment Screening The number 1 use of drug testing should be for pre-employment testing where the goal is to eliminate applicants who regularly use drugs. Those individuals represent a risk to organisations from a cost, productivity, and health and safety perspective. Often organisations are surprised at the actual level of drug use in their applicant pool after switching from urinalysis to hair drug testing. On average, 85% of the drug users identified by hair testing would be missed by urinalysis. This is due to the much longer detection window of approximately 3 months. Advantages of Switching to Hair Testing Addressing Cheating Unlike urine, hair samples can not be easily substituted, adulterated or diluted when properly performed. Simplified Collection Process Hair testing benefits include observed collections that are easy and non-invasive, simplified packaging and collection procedures, elimination of time constraints associated with storage and transportation, and the convenient option of in-house collections Provides Highest Positive Rate Side-by-side studies consistently show 6-10 times more drug users identified by Psychemedics hair testing over urinalysis. GreaterReturn on Investment (ROI) By doing fewer testing (1, 2 or 3 times per annum) and getting 6-10 more information it saves costs and time. Quantitative & Historical Information Hair testing uniquely allows the analysis of drug use over a period of time by analysing sections of the hair sample info@drugdetection.co.za

3 Contractor Testing (Oil & Gas Industry) CASE STUDIES Hair Testing Vs. Urinalysis (Transportation Industry) In an industry where safety is paramount, one refinery led the charge with an innovative drug testing program. For employers, especially with workers in safety-sensitive positions, it is critical to identify and screen out illicit drug users. The Company pioneered a hair drug testing programme that required contractors working in the refinery to pass a drug test before they could enter the plant. The refinery had already seen the impact that the hair drug testing program had on its employees, and extended this added safety measure to the thousands of contractors accessing the site. Pre-Employment Testing (Long-Term Care Industry) The company s goal is to provide nursing home residents with the best care possible, by hiring only the highest quality employees. Management at the nursing home felt that it had become the employer of choice for drug users in the area, and was concerned about employees access to the residents narcotics, especially considering the high risk for abuse of these substances. The nursing home wanted to implement the most effective and robust pre-employment drug testing program available, to improve employee and resident safety by creating a drug-free environment. As a U.S. motor carrier, this company conducts urinalysis drug tests in accordance with Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations in order to satisfy federal testing requirements. However, a series of events led the company to believe that urinalysis alone was not working: First there were reports of drug use in some shops, then there were two unfortunate crashes where their drivers were involved in accidents that claimed three lives. Both drivers had clean records, but both tested positive at the scene for cocaine. All DOT required (urinalysis) tests had been conducted and it was concluded that these drivers were likely substituting their urine samples. These incidents caused this company to look for a more effective, reliable drug test. Random Testing (Manufacturing Industry) To achieve its safety goals, the company implemented a hair drug testing programme to screen job applicants for drug use. After seeing significant value in the pre-employment hair testing programme, and realising what a positive impact an even more robust programme could bring, this automotive manufacturer added a random testing programme for the current workforce utilising the same hair test. High School Case Study The decision to implement a drug testing programme as a deterrent was not in reaction to a particular incident or a concern regarding widespread drug use in the school, but instead was based on a desire to protect every student from the serious consequences of illegal drugs. The goal of the school was not to catch anyone, but instead to arm students with a powerful reason to say no when they might otherwise succumb to peer pressure. The programme reduced student drug use and behavioural issues, increased enrolment, and most importantly identified the students who needed help. University Case Study The University gave a mandate to a number of Greek organisations on campus to combat their declining image and get back to their founding values of academic achievement and service. After the University recommended that the fraternities implement a drug testing policy for its members, most of the organisations chose to implement urinalysis testing a test with minimal detection capabilities, and that is susceptible to many well known cheating tactics. One fraternity chose to go above and beyond by implementing a more rigorous drug testing programme using hair testing, resulting in a thorough clean up of its chapters substance abuse problems and providing a real deterrent to drug use among its brothers.

4 SOUTH AFRICAN COURTS USE HAIR DRUG TESTING In South Africa the majority of hair tests are performed in support of divorce and child custody litigation and so are typically requested by social services, family law specialists and by the courts themselves. It is within the discretion of family courts to order drug tests where a parent has a history of illegal drug use. More particularly, in determining a child s best interest for custody purposes, the courts consider whether either parent has a habitual or continual illegal use of controlled substances or continual abuse of alcohol. It is not in the child s best interest to have a custodial parent or either parent with frequent and regular visitation who abuses alcohol or uses drugs. For that reason, the family court has the power to order drug and alcohol testing so long as the court has credible and independent corroboration the accused parent is abusing alcohol or using drugs. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS What time period does a standard test cover? A standard test of 3.9 cm of head hair cut close to the scalp can provide a 90 Day Window to detect drug ingestion. How fast does head hair grow? Studies indicate that hair collected at the crown of the head grows on the average approximately 1.3 cm per month. This growth rate may vary among people; consequently the same 3.9 cm length of hair may represent slightly different time periods. How does hair analysis compare to urinalysis? The primary difference is the wider window of detection with hair. Cocaine, methamphetamine, opiates are rapidly excreted and usually undetectable in urine 72 hours after use. Rather than the hours or days covered by a body fluid test, a hair test covers a period of months, ensuring that a drug user cannot evade the test by simply abstaining for a few days. Additional advantages include: non-intrusive collection procedures, virtual elimination of test evasion through substitution or adulteration, and greater accuracy through test repetition capability. The combination of an increased window of detection and resistance to evasion makes hair testing far more effective than urinalysis in correctly identifying drug users. How soon after use can a drug be detected in hair? It takes approximately days from the time of drug use for the portion of the hair containing that drug to grow above the scalp. What is the shortest time period that can accurately be evaluated? In most situations the minimum time period is approximately one month. A hair test does not determine drugs used on a particular day or week. How sensitive is hair testing in detecting drug users? Comparison studies have proven that hair testing is between 5 &10 times more effective in identifying drug users than urinalysis. In other words, 85% of the drug users identified by a hair test could get through a urine screen and enter the workforce.

5 How much hair is needed? A standard drug screen, along with GC/MS/MS or LC/MS/MS confirmation, usually requires a cosmetically undetectable lock of hair preferably snipped from the back of the head, just below the crown. In general, the amount needed is the thickness of a shoelace tip. Can tests be run on people with little or no hair? Yes. Hair can be collected from several locations on the head and combined to obtain the required amount of hair. If head hair is not available, certain body hair can be used as an alternative. Can hair collected from a brush be used? No. A hair sample needs to be collected using the proper chain-of-custody protocols that will withstand a legal challenge. We requires that the sample be submitted with Sample Acquisition Materials. The test subject must initial the sample to certify the authenticity of the sample at the time of collection. How are collections performed on candidates that use artificial hairpieces or attachments to their own hair? The collection process allows the collector only to take the candidate s natural hair. Natural head hair or nape hair can be taken. Body hair can also be taken when hair from those two sources is not available Does chemical treatment of the hair affect the test results? Commonly used hair procedures (e.g., shampoos, conditioners, sprays, mousses and gels) have no significant effect on results. In fact, normal hair washing helps to remove external contamination. Normal hair treatments such as bleaching, perming and dyeing generally will not significantly lower the quantitative results. If the protein matrix of the hair has been damaged to the point of breaking (cortex damage) the level of drug can be significantly affected. However, severely treated or damaged hair can be readily identified from the wash ratios and/or staining procedure. Is there a risk that the results of a hair test can be affected by environmental contamination? We utilises several independent approaches which, in various combinations, rule out the possibility of a positive result from external contamination. The first method involves extensive chemical washing of the hair specimen prior to screening, followed by analysis of the content of the wash. This wash analysis is a critical step to ensure that any contamination is effectively accounted for. Additionally, we measures the presence of metabolites. If drugs were in the air or on a person s hands and thereby got on a person s hair from outside, the drug would be present as the drug substance itself, and not as certain metabolites or with metabolite/parent drug ratios which are known to be produced by ingestion. Our ability to distinguish and measure metabolites with its highly sensitive GC/MS/MS or LC/MS/MS equipment is one criteria used to eliminate the possibility of false positives from external contamination. In addition, any positive internal contamination (e.g., from passive inhalation or even poppy seed consumption) is distinguished from deliberate drug use by setting GC/MS/MS or LC/MS/MS cut-off levels above those which can be produced by passive internal exposure. Studies have shown that the combination of extensive washing, metabolite analysis, and proper cut-off levels are necessary to avoid false positives due to external contamination.