A lot of organizations today have made the concept of drug testing mandatory. It is mainly due to the increased risks and fraud inside a corporate firm or sports organization when hiring an employee during this globalized work culture. Screening an employee is essential to judge their capability to work within an organization.
You must be aware of the increasing rate of drug use which is becoming difficult to control. Nevertheless, the employers of a firm can overcome this problem with a simple approach, i.e., employee drug testing.
Drug testing refers to the measures taken by an employer to check whether or not their employees are abusing drugs within or outside the organization that may otherwise hamper their productivity. If your state laws permit you to take the drug test, you can go ahead with testing your employees for alcohol or drug use.
In this respect, the most preferred type of drug testing is the std testing service. When employers look forward to implementing a trusted drug testing program, the 5-panel drug test can be their best bet. Read on to learn more about the 5-panel drug test in detail below.
An Overview Of 5-Panel Drug Test
Most of the drug tests come in the form of panels. Each panel refers to the number of drugs that are being tested for. For example, the five-panel drug tests will check for the presence of five drugs, and likewise, a 6-panel test will test for six drugs and so on.
Private employers and government firms mainly use the typical five-panel drug test to test the presence of common drugs like Opiates, Cocaine, Methamphetamine, THC, and Amphetamines. Moreover, it is also the standardized method made compulsory by the federal government’s mandatory regulations for Workplace Drug Testing.
The Department of Transportation incorporates this drug testing method to test their vehicle drivers for the presence of a drug. They need to take this test before or after employment at least once a year.
How Does This Drug Test Work?
The 5-panel drug test mainly checks if any drug metabolite is present in the person’s urine. The metabolites are the chemicals produced in the body when processing a specific drug. The most crucial step to getting the test results is the immunoassay. The lab technician uses the test strips with embedded antibodies to detect the drug metabolites rapidly in the urine sample.
When the metabolites are present in the sample, then the technician will conduct a mass spectrometry or gas chromatography test, which is more sensitive. This will help to confirm the result of the test. If the test results are positive, the Medical Review Officer will contact the individual for an acceptable excuse.
What Drugs Can This Test Find?
The 5-panel drug test mainly checks for the following drugs in the individual’s body.
Cocaine
Cocaine is available as a white powder and looks similar to baby powder or baking powder, and it is mixed with them to create an artificial filler. This drug is made using the leaves of the coca plant, and people may chew the raw leaves to enjoy a lighter effect.
Cocaine is a schedule 2 narcotic as per the US government, having a significant potential for abuse but less so than Schedule I substances. They are deemed harmful and are screened in all five-panel drug tests because they are likely to lead to significant psychological or physical dependency.
Amphetamines
They are commonly available as tablets, which the user crushes and snorts. Amphetamine, like cocaine, is vulnerable to the artificial fillers used to increase the drug’s weight. It is a laboratory substance present in Ritalin and Adderall and can treat ADHD and ADD.
Researchers have classified it as a schedule 2 substance with a high risk of abuse and psychological or physical dependency. Even though amphetamines are unlawful to use recreationally, doctors can prescribe them.
Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine, sometimes known as “meth,” is a kind of amphetamine having a chemical basis similar to that of cocaine. Meth can be available in powdered or crystalline form, and it’s difficult to set a standard of composition or potency since most meth is manufactured in illegal home laboratories.
Meth, along with cocaine and amphetamine, is a schedule 2 narcotic in the United States because of its hazardous consequences and habit. It is illegal, a priority target for law enforcement, and a five-panel drug test can identify it. Meth can be used for therapeutic purposes with a prescription, although these are uncommon and closely monitored.
Opiate
Opiates come from the poppy plant, which is native to Southeast Asia. The opiate base is useful for making illegal narcotics like heroin and prescription medications like morphine.
Because opiates have valid medicinal applications, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) schedules various types of opiates separately. As a result, heroin is a schedule 1 substance, but Vicodin, a prescription pain reliever produced from an opiate derivative, is classified as a schedule 3 narcotic.
THC
THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is a naturally occurring cannabinoid found solely in the marijuana plant and a synthetic variant known as Marinol. Marijuana may be available in various forms, including dried flower buds, hash, and baked goods like brownies and cookies. Users can consume the edible baked items or smoke the dried buds and hash.
Marijuana is a schedule 1 substance, as per the federal government, which means it has no medical use. However, many states in the United States acknowledge the medicinal benefits of Marijuana and allow it to be used legally. Although Colorado and Washington have legalized Marijuana for recreational use, a 5-panel drug test can frequently detect THC.
Conclusion
These medications pose a risk to the user and the workplace, ranging from hazardous dependency-related concerns to cognitive decline. As a result, a 5-panel drug test is intended to identify these drugs and provide employers with the information to enforce their drug-free workplace policies.