PO has ordered a mouth swab test for DNA in 2 wks but we think it's actually for drugs so what drugs does it test for and how far back can it detect for those drugs?

Answer 1

Im pretty sure after a month or maybe 2-3 weeks the cemicals in your brain should be mostly disapeared. ---- It is possible a mouth swab is testing for illegal drugs, as these types of test do exist. A mouth swab done for DNA collects tiny pieces of skin cells from your cheek, which is enough for DNA analysis. Saliva drug screens, while not as commonly used as urine testing, can detect many illegal drugs used within the previous 1 to 3 days. Drug testing is more commonly done using blood, urine, or hair. Hair testing can show drug use as far back as several months (typically up to 90 days), while blood or urine usually can only test for more recent use (hours or days for most drugs). Some drugs are eliminated quickly from the body (mostly by the kidneys and/or liver), but other drugs or their breakdown products may show up in urine or blood tests after the initial drug is gone. There are even "sweat" tests available, but these are probably the least commonly used, and usually require the user to wear a tamper-resistant skin patch for several hours or days. Though testing sensitivity varies, here are the APPROXIMATE test limitations of common (non-hair) drug tests (testing for original substance and/or unique metabolites or breakdown products): Alcohol: 10 hours to 5 days, depending on test used Nicotine: 2 to 4 days Cocaine: 24-80 hours (24 to 48 hours for less sensitive test methods) Amphetamines, including methamphetamine ("meth"): 1 to 5 days, depending on test used Marijuana/THC: at least 3-10 days, possibly up to a month or so for habitual users Barbituates (phenobarbital, etc.): 4-7 days (up to 14 days with some tests) Benzodiazepines (Valium, Xanax etc.): 3-7 days (up to 4-6 weeks with chronic use, depending on test method) Methadone: estimated 3 days Morphine (MS-Contin, etc.): 2-3 days PCP: 7-14 days (longer in chronic users) Tricyclic Antidepressants: estimated 7-10 days Individuals with certain kidney conditions may eliminate some drugs more slowly. False positives are possible with some urine testing procedures, but can be ruled out by more expensive and thorough lab tests. For example, over-the-counter decongestants such as Sudafed (pseudoephedrine) or phenylephrine show up as "amphetamines" because they are actually "weak" amphetamines! However, a more expensive lab test will conclusively show exactly which "amphetamine" is present (legal decongestants, prescription diet pills, prescription amphetamines, diet pills, illegal methamphetamine, etc.) Cough and cold medications, herbal products, and pain pills should always be mentioned if asked which medications you have taken. List anything you remember taking in the last 30 days. If you have current prescription medications, it is best to bring those bottles as well (or at least a list), as you may be asked to show a valid prescription in your name, based on the results of some drug tests. NO known false positives for cocaine, since the test looks for a unique breakdown product that only comes from cocaine itself. There are no know herbal or other products known to reliably mask illegal drugs, so don't waste your money on scams. No, golden seal does not work. However, some people believe that diuretics (such as the prescription drug Lasix) or drinking lots of water may help flush some drugs out of your system faster. This likely has very little effect on modern blood/urine drug testing methods, and of course no effect on hair testing. No, special shampoos or hair dye does not help, either. There are in-home tests available in drugstores and on the internet that test for the most commonly abused drugs. Excellent answer! I might only add that drugs like marijuana, being non-water-soluble, can last int he system much longer.