Back in late 80’s such “luxury” as a home drug-testing device became available to the public. Of course, they were a little different from the ones we are using now – back then there were special specimen bottles and mailing tubes that you had to send to a processing lab. The results were mailed back to you in two weeks. Nowadays, home-tests are made easier – a little testing panel gives you a result within minutes, and lets you know whether you are ready or not to pass an official drug test. A simple device, it can dramatically change a person’s life. Make use of the convenience of our time.

Home drug tests can only show a positive or negative reading. A one-time-use test can check for presence of such toxins as nicotine, alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, opiates, amphetamines, methamphetamines, benzodiazepines, etc. Some panels might include several of toxins that it can test for. If you need to check the exact levels of toxins present in your body, you can go to a private lab, and a simple urine or blood test will tell you how much off you are from a standard cut-off level. If the toxin concentration in a sample is above cut-off level, the sample is considered positive; if the toxin concentration is below cut-off level – the sample is negative. Normally, broad spectrum analysis (first official test that tests for presence of ANY toxins) has the same cut-off level similar to a home-testing device. If the test outcome is positive, it can be sent out for further analysis that might lower the sensitivity levels and determine more detailed drug usage.

Besides urine home-test kits, there are saliva and hair home-tests available for public. Saliva samples, similar to urine, can be tested in the privacy of your own house; hair samples have to be sent off to a lab since there is no at-home device that can get inside of a hair shaft to determine drug usage yet. Hopefully, they will be available in the future.