Remembering when your next test may be upcoming is not always easy, which is why we have created the Drug Test Prediction Calculator, which provides a rough estimate of how likely a person is to be tested by a target date based on number of tests and time period remaining.
Depending on a person's line of work, or if they've ever had a run-in with the law, receiving multiple drug tests per year is just a fact of life for many people.
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Who Gets Drug Tested in Florida?
Drug testing is relatively common in Florida. There are several types of people who will get drug tested in Florida. These include:
- People Convicted of Crimes and Are On Probation: Individuals who have been convicted of crimes do not always have to go to jail. Some people are placed on probation, where they are supervised more closely. Although not universal, a common stipulation of probation is regular drug testing. Some drug tests will be scheduled in advance while other drug tests might be random.
- People Looking for New Jobs: If you are looking for a new job, your employer may order a drug test before they hire you. Even though not every job will require a drug test as a stipulation for being hired, it is relatively common among people who work with heavy equipment. Employers want to make sure that people do not have drugs in their system if they are using dangerous, expensive equipment.
- Those Who Work in Certain Fields: Finally, even individuals who have already been hired may have to get drug tested from time to time. This is common for individuals that deal with life-or-death situations, such as doctors and pilots.
Types of Drug Testing
There are several different types of drug testing. Some of the most common types of drug tests include:
- Urine: A urinalysis is one of the most common types of drug testing. It is particularly common for businesses that need to follow federal guidelines. It is fast, relatively inexpensive, and very accurate. The test is designed to look for breakdown products of certain drugs in the urine. If the sample is not stored at the right temperature before it is run, the results might not be accurate.
- Blood: A blood test is the most accurate type of drug test because it takes a look at drug levels that are currently in the bloodstream. On the other hand, it is a bit more difficult, as it requires someone who is skilled at drawing blood. Furthermore, if the drugs have already left the system, it might not accurately reflect someone's history.
- Hair: Even though it is possible to drug test hair, it is not as common. The advantages of a hair test are that it is simple, not invasive, and painless. It can also detect drug abuse over a longer amount of time because hair doesn't leave someone's system until it gets cut.
- Saliva: There are some situations where a saliva drug test might be ordered. The advantages of a saliva drug test are that it is fast, quick, and doesn't require a lot of skill to administer. It is also very difficult to subvert a drug test using saliva because it is collected by a tester instead of asking someone to urinate in a cup. The downside is it will only show traces of drugs that have been used very recently.
What Drugs Do Drug Tests Usually Test For?
Drug tests come in many shapes and forms. Some tests only look for a few drugs while others look for dozens of them. Typically, there is a 10-panel drug screen that most people use. The drugs this test looks for include:
- Amphetamines, such as meth, speed, and ecstasy
- Barbiturates, such as secobarbital, butalbital, and phenobarbital
- Benzodiazepines, such as clonazepam, alprazolam, and diazepam
- Cocaine, which is also called coke
- Methadone, which is common among individuals who are recovering from an opioid addiction
- Methaqualone, which is a breakdown product of quaaludes, also called roofies
- Opioid and narcotic medications, including morphine, opium, heroin, and codeine
- Phencyclidine, which is also called PCP or angel dust
- Propoxyphene, also called Darvocet
- THC, which is a sign of marijuana or cannabis use
How Long Do Different Drugs Stay in Your System?
No matter what type of substance you take, your body will eventually break it down and remove it from your system. At the same time, different drugs are processed out of your system more quickly. Keep in mind that whether or not a drug test will detect the drug depends on a number of factors, including the type of test ordered.
Some of the most important pieces of information to remember about drugs and their breakdown speeds include:
- Marijuana: Drug tests for marijuana usually look for the presence of THC and its breakdown products. Marijuana will be detected on a urine screen for up to 30 days. It can be detected in a hair test for up to 90 days. It can be spotted in a blood test for up to four hours, and it could test positive in a saliva test for up to 72 hours.
- Cocaine: Cocaine (and crack cocaine) can be detected in your urine for approximately three days after the last dose. It will stay in your hair for up to 90 days, and it can be detected in your blood for approximately 24 hours. It will also turn a saliva test positive for approximately 2 days after the last dose.
- Opioids: There are numerous opioid drugs and medications, and some of them can vary regarding how long they stay in your system. As an example, an opioid drug, such as morphine, can usually be detected in a blood, urine, or saliva test for up to three days after the drug has been taken. Fentanyl and heroin will usually leave your system more quickly than this. The vast majority of opioids will usually show up in your hair for up to 90 days after the last dose.
- Benzodiazepines: Benzodiazepines are frequently used for anxiety, but they can be addictive. Ativan can be detected in a urine test up to 6 days after administration, while Xanax can usually be detected up to 4 days after the last dose. Ativan can be detected in a hair test up to 30 days after administration, while Xanax can usually be detected up to 90 days after the last dose. Ativan will be detected in a blood test up to 3 days from the last dose, while the Xanax will show up in the blood for approximately twenty-four hours. Ativan can be detected in your saliva up to 8 hours after administration, while Xanax can be detected in saliva for up to 2 days from the last dose.
- Amphetamines: Amphetamines, also known as stimulant drugs, have different lengths of time they stay in your system. Ecstasy can be detected on a urine test for up to 4 days after the last days, while meth can stay in your urine for up to a week. Both drugs can be detected in your hair for up to 90 days after the last dose. Ecstasy stays in your blood for approximately two days, while meth stays in your blood for approximately three days. Ecstasy stays in your saliva for approximately two days, while meth stays in your saliva for approximately four days.
- Barbiturates: Barbiturates are drugs that are typically used to treat issues such as seizures and insomnia. Barbiturates will stay in your urine for approximately six weeks. They can also be started on a hair test for approximately 90 days. Barbiturates will stay in your blood for approximately 72 hours. They will also stay in your saliva for approximately three days.
- Hallucinogens: Hallucinogens can have a dramatic impact on someone's sensory perception. The most common example is LSD. LSD can be detected in your urine for up to 4 days after the last dose. It can show up in your hair for up to 90 days after the last dose. LSD will also stay in your blood for approximately 12 hours.
- PCP: PCP can cause someone to have extremely violent outbursts. It can stay in your urine for approximately four weeks. It can be spotted in your hair for up to 90 days. PCP stays in your blood for approximately 24 hours. It will also turn a saliva test positive for approximately 10 days since the last dose.
Factors That Determine How Long Drugs Stay in Your System
The numbers above are general guidelines. There are lots of factors that will impact how long drugs will stay in your system. Some of the most important factors to keep in mind include:
- The Drug’s Half-Life: The half-life of a drug is the amount of time it takes for half of a drug to be filtered out of your system. For example, if the half-life of caffeine is 5 hours, then 5 hours after taking caffeine, half of the original dose will be left. Then, after another 5 hours, 25 percent will still be left in your system. Some drugs have long half-lives while other drugs have a shorter half-life. The longer the half-life of a drug, the longer it will stay in your system.
- Frequency of Use: In general, the more often you use a drug, the faster it leaves your system. That is because your body's enzymes generally get better at breaking it down as you develop more tolerance.
- The Size of the Dose: The size of the dose will also impact how long the drugs stay in your system. The bigger your last dose, the longer it will take your body to completely eliminate it.
- Your Weight: In general, the heavier someone is, the longer it will take them to process drugs from their bloodstream. This is because there are more cells in which the drug can hide, meaning it will take longer for the body to filter it out.
- Your Gender: Typically, men process drugs faster than women. Even though this is not universal, men typically process drugs faster if all other factors are equal.
- Your Hydration Levels: Your hydration level will play a role in how quickly you process drugs from your bloodstream. Your body requires water to power at the central cellular functions. Therefore, if you drink more water, you should filter the drugs faster from your bloodstream. Even though this is not universal, it is a relatively common phenomenon across all drugs.
- Your Level of Physical Activity: Your physical activity level will also impact your body's ability to process drugs. If you are more physically active, your body should process drugs faster because your metabolic rate will go up. In order to meet the demands of your physical activity, your body will have to ramp up its metabolism, meaning that it will break down foods, drinks, and drugs more quickly.
What To Do if You Have a Positive Drug Test
If you have a positive drug test, it is important to remain calm. You need to think carefully, clearly, and objectively to make the right decision. If you are taking a drug test for current or future employment, you need to figure out what you tested positive for. Then, you may want to ask for another drug test if you believe the initial drug test was a false positive. Drug tests are not perfect, and mistakes can be made.
If you believe the results of the tests are accurate, then you need to think about why the test might be positive. If you are on a prescription medication, such as a benzodiazepine for seizures, you have an explanation for why the drug test is positive. If you can produce a prescription for that drug, you may be able to mitigate a lot of the consequences.
On the other hand, you should also reach out to a lawyer if you have had a positive drug test. You need to make sure your rights are defended, and a lawyer can help you figure out what to do next. You always have options available, and you need to think carefully about how you can protect your best interest. You need an experienced, objective professional who can help you after a positive drug test. A lawyer can also take a lot of the stress off of your shoulders in this situation.
Disclaimer: This tool does not provide any legal guarantees. Any output from this blog and tool are only meant as estimates to help you have an idea about what one could reasonably expect. We encourage everyone to be smart, safe, and prepared for a test at a moments notice.