Taking illegal drugs like marijuana, cocaine, heroin and so on has become common. It is known to cause large number of deaths in the United States. Many employers are facing issues with drug abusing employees. Employees taking illegal drugs are absent for work frequently. They cannot concentrate on work because of the physical and mental side effects of the drugs on the users. This has an effect on the productivity of the person as well as the company. So it has become mandatory for the organizations to conduct drug tests on the employees.
Different kinds of drug tests are conducted at workplaces. They include urine, saliva, hair, and blood drug tests. However, more commonly urine, saliva and hair drug tests are conducted as they are relatively less invasive. Though the blood drug test is invasive, it has got its own significance. A blood drug test does not measure drug residues which remain in the body after the effects of the drug had worn off. Various drugs like amphetamines, cocaine, marijuana, opiates, nicotine, alcohol and so on can be detected by it.
Blood drug tests are more significant and performed at the time of accidents or injuries. They may be even conducted on job applicants as a part of pre-employment drug screening. Though invasive, it is the accurate method of drug testing giving accurate results. However, the cost associated with these tests is relatively higher. So they are conducted at situations like accidents at workplaces. It is an efficient way to find if the accident has taken place due to the effect of illegal drug consumed by the concerned suspicious employee. A blood test is the only way of determining the legal intoxication.
