Hair Drug Testing Routine in Many Clinical and Forensic Applications
September 2001
in “
Emergency Medicine News
”
TLDR Hair testing is effective for detecting long-term drug use.
The document discussed the use of hair testing for detecting drug use, highlighting its ability to provide a longer record of drug exposure compared to blood and urine tests. Hair testing was particularly useful for identifying chronic drug use over months, as hair grows at a consistent rate of approximately 1 cm per month. The document noted that hair testing had been widely accepted in clinical and forensic applications, including legal cases and employment screenings. It addressed concerns about potential biases related to hair treatments and racial differences, but larger studies did not show significant biases. The document also mentioned the need for further research into drug incorporation mechanisms and the stability of drugs in hair.