Different Types of Drug Testing and When They’re Used
- Lavonia Bearfield
- Dec 1
- 3 min read
Drug testing plays an important role in workplace safety, legal compliance, healthcare decisions, and personal accountability. With multiple testing methods available, each one serves a different purpose and offers unique advantages.
At Angel’s Touch Lab Solutions, we provide accurate and confidential drug and alcohol testing for individuals, employers, and organizations. Here’s a simple guide to the most common types of drug tests—and when each one is typically used.
1. Urine Drug Testing
Urine testing is the most widely used method because it’s affordable, reliable, and detects a broad range of substances.
What it can detect:
Marijuana (THC)
Opiates
Cocaine
Amphetamines
PCP
Alcohol (in some panels)
Detection window:
From a few hours up to several days depending on the substance
Common uses:
Pre-employment screening
Routine workplace testing
Probation and legal requirements
School or sports participation
Urine testing is standard for DOT and non-DOT programs, making it one of the most requested services.
2. Saliva (Oral Fluid) Drug Testing
Saliva testing is quick, non-invasive, and ideal for detecting recent drug use.
What it can detect:
Most common drugs within a short time frame
Detection window:
Minutes after use up to 48 hours
Excellent for identifying same-day substance use
Common uses:
Reasonable-suspicion testing
Post-accident screening
Workplace settings that need fast, observed collection
Environments where tampering must be avoided
Saliva tests help employers get immediate insights when timing matters.
3. Hair Follicle Drug Testing
Hair testing provides the longest detection window, capturing a 90-day history of drug use.
What it can detect:
Most major drug categories
Patterns of repeated use over time
Detection window:
Up to 3 months
Cannot detect very recent use (within the last 24–48 hours)
Common uses:
Court-ordered testing
Child custody cases
Long-term monitoring
Pre-employment screening for high-security roles
Hair testing is extremely difficult to cheat, giving organizations long-range insights.
4. Blood Drug Testing
Blood testing provides real-time, highly accurate results.
What it can detect:
Active presence of drugs
Exact levels of substances in the bloodstream
Detection window:
Hours to 1–2 days depending on the substance
Common uses:
Emergency medical situations
DUI investigations
Post-accident testing
Situations requiring precise, legal-quality results
Because blood tests measure impairment, they’re often used when accuracy is critical.
5. Breath Alcohol Testing
Breath testing (Breathalyzer) is used specifically to detect current alcohol impairment.
Detection window:
Immediately after drinking
Detects alcohol for several hours depending on consumption
Common uses:
DOT-certified alcohol testing
Workplace safety programs
Post-accident and reasonable suspicion testing
Breath testing is a required component of many transportation and safety-sensitive programs.
6. Fingernail and Toenail Drug Testing
These tests examine keratin formations (nails) to reveal long-term patterns of use.
Detection window:
Up to 6 months for fingernails
Up to 12 months for toenails
Common uses:
Child welfare cases
Long-term monitoring
Court-related testing
This method is also resistant to tampering and provides a more extensive history than hair tests.
If you're unsure which test you or your organization needs, Angel’s Touch Lab Solutions can help guide you based on your goals, industry requirements, or compliance standards.
We provide fast, confidential, and accurate drug and alcohol testing with results you can trust. Whether you’re an employer, an individual, or part of a safety-sensitive program, our team is here to help.
📍 Serving patients in and around South Orange, New Jersey
📞 (862) 621-7984
🌐 Schedule online at Angel’s Touch Lab Solutions
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