Random Drug Testing

Random drug testing - what are they looking for?

If you're up for random drug testing, you're probably wondering what exactly they're looking for. Will your slight marijuana habit show up? Or that beer you had with lunch? If you're within the limits on legal substances, you'll probably be OK - testing is expensive, and organizations will rarely waste the time and money.

As for illegal substances, there are the 'common' drugs: pot, which is used by 12.1 million Americans; coke, used by 1.7 million, and the hallucinogenic group, which includes acid, PCP and ecstasy, used by 1.3 million people (statistics provided by the White House Office on National Drug Control Policy).

But there's a far broader range of substances that your school, your employer, even your athletic association may be interested in. The federal government usually tests for five basic classifications of drug:

Amphetamines - crystal meth, speed
Hashish, pot
Cocaine, coke
Opiates - opium, heroin
PCP, angel dust

Most drug tests are designed to detect those five drugs, but some companies and schools may test beyond the primary five. Not all of these drugs are illegal (such as alcohol) and most others are available with a prescription. They include:

Alcohol - beer, wine, liquor
Depressants - Butalbital, Phenobarbital, barbs
Benzodiazepines - sleeping pills, roofies
Hydrocodone
MDMA - ecstasy
Sedatives
Methadone

And although rare, it is possible to test for:

Inhalants - Household and commercial products, rubber cement, spray paint, household glue, nitrous oxide, ether, chloroform
Acid
Nicotine - tobacco
Mescaline, peyote, buttons
Tryptamines - Psilocybin, magic mushrooms, shrooms

If you're an athlete, on the other hand, testing depends which organization you play for. The NCAA, for example, may have a strict 'no alcohol' policy for college athletes. The major league sports organizations have their own requirements, as does the U.S. Olympic Committee. Although steroids are the most popular drug among athletes, these organizations typically test for a broad range of substances, both legal and illegal. Beyond the usual alcohol and pot, these can include:

Stimulants
Narcotics or other pain relievers
Anabolic steroids - nandrolene, testosterone
Diuretics
Peptide hormones
Local anesthetics
Respiratory drugs
Beta blockers
Glucocorticosteroids
Caffeine

New Zealand Drug Testing Advice and Information