Common Drugs of Abuse What to look for, physical symptoms, and dangers
We lead the industry in science and service. By choosing Quest Diagnostics Employer Solutions as your drug testing partner, you gain all the advantages of proven technology, coupled with personal service and support. You will be working with a team that is knowledgeable, accessible, and devoted to being there for you. You can count on the breadth of our experience and resources. We will guide you in choosing the right test and timing to optimize the success of your drug testing program. We want to help you achieve your drug testing goals. We are more than just a lab; we re a true partner in your success. Our comprehensive testing options include: Urine Prescription Drugs Screen for a wide variety of illicit and prescribed substances with the most common testing method. Detect opioid prescription drugs, the fastest growing segment of workplace positives, which can impact safety. Oral Fluid Easily collect under direct supervision using Oral-Eze, significantly reducing the possibility of adulteration or substitution. Alcohol Hair Steroids Reveal a longer detection window of repetitive drug use as far back as 90 days with an observed collection. Test for the presence of a wide variety of anabolic agents that may be misused to increase strength or enhance performance. Medical Professional Test for substances that are readily available in healthcare settings and hospitals. Expect rapid, reliable results from laboratory-based urine or blood tests. Instant Screen using convenient options such as point-of-collection tests (POCT), which can be performed on-site or at a collection site.
Common Drugs of Abuse Chart Name Physical Symptoms Dangers Detection Time Amphetamines Look For: Tablets of varying colors, possible chain cigarette smoking Long periods without rest or sleep, loss of appetite, anxiety, irritability, rapid speech, tremors, mood elevation Disorientation, severe depression, paranoia, possible hallucinations, increase in blood pressure, fatigue Methamphetamine, Amphetamine Urine: 1 to 3 days Hair: up to 90 days (depending on hair length) Oral Fluid: 24 to 48 hours Anabolic Steroids Look For: Oil-based injectable intramuscular solutions (ampoules, vials, syringes, bottles), tablets or lozenges for oral administration, sprays, skin lotions Yellow tint skin color, acne, gynecomastia, gain in weight, accumulation of fluids, psychological disorders such as aggressiveness. In females: marked masculinization, deeper voice, male-pattern hair growth Liver dysfunction, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, infertility Multiple metabolites, some parent steroids Testosterone to epitestosterone ratio (T/E) for detection of endogenous steroids abuse Urine: if drug taken orally: up to 4 weeks; if drug injected: 1.5 months up to 1+ year Barbiturates Look For: Capsules of varying colors, longer periods of rest or sleep, dizziness, cold and clammy skin Depression, decreased alertness and muscle control, intoxication and slurred speech, drowsiness Rigidity and painful muscle contraction, emotional instability, possible overdose and death, especially when mixed with alcohol Secobarbital, Butalbital, Pentobarbital, Amobarbital Phenobarbital Urine (all except Phenobarbitol): 1 to 3 days (short acting) Urine (Phenobarbital): 1 to 3 weeks Benzodiazepines Look For: Pills and injection paraphernalia Slurred speech, disorientation, drunken behavior without odor of alcohol Shallow respiration, cold and clammy skin, dilated pupils, weak and rapid pulse, coma, possible death Common Benzodiazepines and/or specific metabolites: Oxazepam, Nordiazepam, Temazepam (Restoril ), Flurazepam (Dalmane ), Alprazolam (Xanax ), Lorazepam (Ativan ), Chlordiazepoxide (Librium ), Clorazepate (Tranxene ), Diazepam (Valium ), Halazepam (Paxipam ), Medazepam (Nobrium ), Prazepam (Centrax ), Flunitrazepam, Clonazepam (Klonopin ), Midazolam (Versed ) Urine: varies from 1 to 14 days (depending on specific Benzodiazepine) Cocaine Look For: Glassine envelopes, razors, small spoons, bitter white crystalline powder, granular rocks Short-lived euphoria changing to depression, irritability, nervousness, tightness of muscles Shallow breathing, fever, anxiety, tremors, possible death from convulsions or respiratory arrest Benzoylecgonine Urine: 1 to 3 days Hair: up to 90 days (depending on hair length) Oral Fluid: 24 to 48 hours Ketamine Look For: Liquid or white powder Disassociative effects similar to PCP, large doses put users into a dreamlike, hallucinogenic state Tachycardia, hypertension, nystagmus, respiratory depression, visual hallucinations, cataleptic state Ketamine metabolite (dehydronorketamine) Urine: 1 to 2 days LSD Look For: Colorless, odorless tablets or capsules (microdots), liquid solution on gelatin (window panes), liquid solution diluted and impregnated on blotting paper (blotter) Mood-altering effects, flashbacks, severe depression Tachycardia, hypertension, hyperthermia, mydriasis, lacrimation, visual hallucinations, synthesias ataxia, tremors Lysergic acid diethylamide Urine: 8 hours
Name Physical Symptoms Dangers Detection Time Marijuana Look For: Plastic baggies, rolling paper, roach clips, odor of burnt rope Altered perception, dilated pupils, lack of concentration and coordination, craving for sweets, increased appetite, laughter Psychological dependence, increased heart rate, impaired short-term memory, anxiety, lung damage, possible psychosis with chronic use 11-Nor-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9- carboxylic acid Urine: occasional use: 1 to 3 days habitual use: up to 30 days Hair: up to 90 days (depending on hair length) Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol Oral Fluid: up to 24-30 hours Methadone Look For: White crystalline powder, tablets, liquid (injectable) Euphoria, drowsiness, respiratory depression, constricted pupils, nausea Slow and/or shallow breathing, clammy skin, convulsions, coma, possible death Methadone and metabolite Urine: 1 to 3 days Prescription Opiates Look For: Capsules, tablets Insensitivity to pain, euphoria, sedation, nausea, vomiting, itchiness, watery eyes, running nose Lethargy, weight loss, hepatitis, slow and shallow breathing, possible death Hydrocodone - (Vicodin ), (Lortab ) Hydromorphone - (Dilaudid ), (Exalgo ), (Palladone ), Oxycodone - (Endocet ), (Oxycontin ), (Percocet ), (Percodan ), Oxymorphone - (Numorphan ), (Opana ) Urine: 1 to 3 days Oral Fluid: 24 to 48 hours Opiates (Standard) Look For: Glassine envelopes, needles and syringes, caps or spoons, tourniquets, needle marks on arms, capsules, tablets Insensitivity to pain, euphoria, sedation, nausea, vomiting, itchiness, watery eyes, running nose Lethargy, weight loss, hepatitis, slow and shallow breathing, possible death Codeine, Morphine (MS Contin, OraMorph, Roxanol ), Heroin Urine: 1 to 3 days Hair: up to 90 days (depending on hair length) Oral Fluid: 24 to 36 hours Phencyclidine Look For: Liquid capsules, white or brown powder on paper stamps, sugar cubes, cigarettes, joints, injection paraphernalia Increased pulse and heart rate, blood pressure and temperature, possible mood and perception alteration, paranoia, panic, anxiety, nausea, tremors, suicidal urge Unpredictable behavior, flashbacks, possible emotional instability and psychosis, hallucinations Phencyclidine Urine: occasional use: 1 to 5 days; habitual use: up to 30 days Hair: up to 90 days (depending on hair length) Oral Fluid: 24 to 48 hours Propoxyphene Look For: Tablets, capsules Dizziness, drowsiness, headache, euphoria, sysphoria, asthenia Skin rash and other allergic reactions occur occasionally and may be accompanied by drug fever and mucosal lesions, stupor or coma, convulsions, respiratory depression Norpropoxyphene Urine: 1 to 3 days Rohypnol Look For: Odorless, tasteless, white tablet Sedative effects, including amnesia, muscle relaxation, and the slowing of psychomotor performance Respiratory depression, hypotension, disorientation, dizziness, visual disturbances, anterograde amnesia Flunitrazepam metabolite (7-aminoflunitrazepam) Urine: 1 to 3 days
Increased employee substance abuse can put your business at risk. Our services include: Four SAMHSA-certified laboratories that offer broad testing capacity A network of more than 8,000 collection sites, helping to enable convenient access for your donors More than 3,500 company-employed couriers and 25 aircraft to manage the logistics for specimen transportation, ensuring fast, consistent result turnaround times A standardized laboratory and billing platform across our national footprint to simplify processes with clients Integrated Medical Review for professional interpretation of results More than 100 dedicated customer service employees ready to meet the needs of our clients We understand the financial and legal impact that employee substance abuse can have on your organization, from accidents, to increased absences, to lower productivity. As a result, we perform more than 10 million drug tests annually and offer our clients a comprehensive range of laboratory and on-site drug tests, services, and programs to help keep substance abuse out of the workplace. According to data from the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 10.6 percent of full-time employees and 13.2 percent of part-time employees aged 18 or older reported using illicit drugs within the past month (Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality; 2014. 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Detailed Tables. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). Employees who abuse drugs are 2.5 times more likely than other non-substance abusing coworkers to be absent for 8 or more days according to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA, 2016). In addition, drug abusers are 3.6 times more likely to be involved in an accident at work and 5 times more likely to file a workers compensation claim (SAMHSA, 2016). Studies suggest that substance abuse, which includes drugs and alcohol, costs the United States an estimated $276 billion a year, with much of the cost resulting from lost work productivity and increased healthcare spending. Drug testing programs have been shown to improve employee morale and productivity; decrease absenteeism, accidents, downtime, turnover, and theft; lead to better health among employees and family members; and contribute to the decreased use of medical benefits. Additionally, organizations with drug-free workplace programs sometimes qualify for state government incentives or workers compensation insurance premium discounts ( Drug Testing. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), 2016).
Count on Quest Diagnostics for all your drug testing needs. Reliable employee screening Extensive collection site network Personal service and support Visit us at EmployerSolutions.com for more information about the drug testing solution that matches your needs. We re There When You Need Us 1.800.877.7484 QuestDiagnostics.com Quest, Quest Diagnostics, any associated logos, and all associated Quest Diagnostics registered or unregistered trademarks are the property of Quest Diagnostics. All third party marks - and - are the property of their respective owners. 2016 Quest Diagnostics Incorporated. All rights reserved. MI1055 09/2016