Drug test using hair and nails

Another possibility to get information about drug abuse can be the examination of body structures containing keratin, such as hair or nails. Some drugs have a direct influence on the keratin structure of certain skin appendages, so that conclusions can be drawn about the consumption behavior of the person being examined.During hair or nail growth (1cm per month for human scalp hair), the absorbed drug substances or their degradation products are constantly incorporated into the hair matrix and thus permanently stored. Depending on the length of the hair, the drug consumption in the last 5 months of a 5cm long hair can be checked. The simple, non-invasive collection of the hair or nail sample is also advantageous. However, the hair sample is usually not suitable for the analysis of a single or very rare drug use, because the substance cannot necessarily be detected in the hair matrix after such a short time.

Drug test using the teeth

Finally, a certain component of the teeth, dentin, can also be used for drug analysis. Substances such as ecstasy, morphine, codeine, amphetamine, MDEA or cocaine can be detected in this context.

THC

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is a component of the hemp plant (cannabis) and is responsible for the intoxicating effect of its consumption. Since it falls under the narcotic in Germany, but its mere consumption does not constitute a criminal offence, this drug occupies a special position. Drug tests to detect THC are therefore usually carried out as part of traffic controls, driving tests or company medical examinations. The use of these drugs can be detected by means of a blood or urine sample, whereby the duration of detection depends on the sample material selected and the previous duration of use (2-35 days in urine, 12 hours in blood).

Police

In principle, if you are stopped by the police and asked to undergo a urine test, you may refuse to do so. However, if the suspicion is justified, the police can then insist on a blood test at the police station. Due to the lack of manipulability of the blood composition and the quite exact correlation between the amount of active substance ingested and the actual extent of the effect in the target organ, blood as examination material in drug testing in the context of police investigations is the only one that meets the German legal requirements (§ 24a paragraph 2 of the German Road Traffic Act).

Drug testing is by no means always necessarily associated with a visit to a doctor. Many pharmacies offer numerous tests that can be purchased for independent drug testing. Such rapid tests from the pharmacy can either be specific tests that react positively to a particular drug or they can be broader-based addiction tests that can detect several drugs at once.

For example, there are specific THC or cocaine rapid tests or tests that are positive for cannabis, amphetamines, opiates and cocaine. Usually, pharmacy drug tests are test strips that discolour on mere contact with suspicious objects or parts of the body and therefore give a positive result (drug wipe test). However, drug tests for urine, sweat or saliva samples can also be purchased from the pharmacy.