What Should You Expect During A THC Drug Test? (Photo by Jeffrey Coolidge/Getty Images)
While the news that many employers are ditching their drug testing requirements is cause for celebration for some, many people will still have to jump through hoops to land jobs that they may desperately need. Many industries continue to have safety concerns and are unlikely to ditch their drug testing policies before cannabis is completely decriminalized, while other, like federal positions, are under strict regulation to administer a THC drug test, among others.
Many people may be taking a drug test for the first time, while others may not have had to take one in quite some time. Understanding what actually takes place in a THC drug test can go a long way to easing your concerns and helping you prepare in advance if you need to use a THC detox product, such as Verdant Detox.
While laws vary from state to state, there are several different testing times and methods you should be aware of. Some states will only allow employers to administer a drug test once a conditional offer of employment has been extended. Others allow testing before so much as a conditional offer has been tabled.
Some agencies are mandated to perform regular testing, by agreements such as the Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act (OTETA). Many private sector employees can be tested even once they have their jobs as part of a regular screening process.
What Should You Expect During A THC Drug Test?(Roberto Pangiarella/ EyeEm/Getty Images).
There are four major types of tests that employers can use to check for alcohol, THC, and other drugs. They are:
Among these, urine tests are the most common. In some cases, employers may request a perspiration drug test, but this is less common than the four major categories.
Urine tests are the most common because the metabolites of the different substances drug testers are looking for are most commonly excreted in urine. Metabolites are substances that are produced when the body breaks down or metabolizes different compounds. For THC, that metabolite is tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid or THC-COOH. To pass, you’ll need to make sure your THC-COOH levels are below 50 ng/dL.
Here is a breakdown of what you should expect in each major testing scenario:
So what should you expect during the most common type of workplace drug test? Within 3 minutes of entering a private bathroom, you will be required to provide a urine sample. Please note that flushing the toilet may lead to some testers to deem your sample invalid. Once you hand over your sample, the staff will ensure the sample meets their necessary testing criteria. If it does not you will be asked to provide another If your sample meets the criteria is set to be tested immediately, you will be asked to wait for your results. Otherwise, you will be contacted with your lab results in 2 to 3 business days.
Urine drug tests use a range of different methods to detect THC-COOH in your sample, including immunoassays, thin layer chromatography, gas and mass spectrometry. These and other sophisticated techniques make it incredibly difficult for cheap or gimmicky solutions to pass. While fake urine and masking agents may have been a workable, if not risky, solution, modern testing technologies, and procedures have rendered them all but obsolete.
Hair samples are supposed to produce longer lasting records of a potential employees drug use. While this might seem like a more obvious choice if drug deterrence is the goal, processing and collecting hair samples is costly and time-consuming. It is worth noting that cutting off your hair is unlikely to help you swerve this particular test, as samples have to be at least 1.5 inches to be deemed usable.
What Should You Expect During A THC Drug Test? (Photo by TheLinke/Getty Images)
This type of drug screening is becoming increasingly common, as it is considered less invasive than a urine sample, and is easier for testing agencies to administer. The tester will use a long cotton swab to take a small sample from inside your mouth before sealing it and sending it to be tested.
There are some conflicting reports about the effectiveness of these tests, however. Some people claim that the oral test can only determine if a person has consumed cannabis in the last 10 or so days. When your job can depend on passing, however, it’s best not to leave things up to chance.
Despite being the most accurate of all of these types of drug tests, blood testing for THC is actually one of the least common methods. Highly invasive and expensive to conduct, extracting blood from a potential employee is quite rare.
Blood testing does allow agencies to determine the exact metabolite content of your blood, as well as detecting any drugs currently present in your system.
Despite what many products would have you believe, there is no miracle detox solution. The best way to help your body quickly flush out THC-COOH is by eating a balanced, healthy ketogenic diet, drinking plenty of water and exercising. With your metabolism operating at its peak, you can use Verdant Detox’s 2-Day Detox Kit at least 48 hours before your scheduled test to give you that extra blanket of security for the test you absolutely need to pass.
The Verdant Detox THC detox kit is available from their website for $39.99. To learn more about their story or how they spent 8 years perfecting their formula, visit their website.
