Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Why Urine Drug Test is Conducted More Commonly?

Identifying the drug abused persons is possible by conducting different types of drug testing. Among urine, saliva, blood, and hair drug tests, urine drug testing is more common. It is also the test which is federally mandated for conducting on-site tests and laboratory analysis. There are many reasons for its prominent use.

Urine drug testing can be conducted very easily. The kits that help in conducting the test are so simple in design and can be handled by any one. The procedures to be followed are mentioned on the drug testing product. All you need to do is to fill the testing product with few drops of collected urine sample. The test gives accurate and reliable results within 5 minutes. Urine drug test kits available in the market are manufactured in such a way that they work based on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) cut-off levels. So 98% accuracy is associated with such urine drug test kits.

Urine drug test method can detect the drug usage for a maximum of two weeks from the time of abuse. It is the cheapest form of drug testing and is an economical option for conducting drug tests at workplaces, schools, and other organizations. Many illegal drugs like marijuana, amphetamines, cocaine, heroin, barbiturates, codeine, and many others. Also there are many multi-panel drug test kits that can detect different drugs at a time. It is less invasive when compared to blood drug testing. Due to the above said features, urine drug testing is done more commonly.

Monday, May 30, 2011

Disadvantages of Sweat Drug Testing Method

Drug testing conducted frequently on drug abusers is one of the ways to prevent them from being addicted. Among many different types of drug testing like urine, saliva, hair, and blood drug testing, sweat drug testing is one. But it is not used commonly. Sweat drug testing includes patches that are attached on the skin to absorb sweat. The drug or its metabolite is checked in the sweat of an individual. The patch is attached to the skin for over two weeks and then removed and sent to the laboratory for result. It is mostly used at places where urine drug testing is not practical or applicable.

There are even some disadvantages of sweat drug testing. One of the disadvantage is the high variability among individuals. The nature of the sweat of different individuals is different. This affects the results of drug testing. High chances of adulteration are associated with sweat drug testing. There are many chances that the patch is prone to environmental contamination before application or after removal. Also, there is a risk of accidental removal of the patch during the monitoring period.

It is to be made sure that the surface of the skin is cleaned thoroughly before placing the patch. The patch should also be handled carefully while attaching it to the skin. Otherwise the cellulose pad of the patch may get contaminated during handling. Any improper handling of the patch in the laboratory during analysis also affects the results. However, still many researches are being conducted to find the efficiency and utility of sweat to be used as a drug testing material.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Want to Know About Sweat Drug Screening?

Illegal drug abuse is a bad habit that results in serious health effects. It is even responsible for a large number of deaths in the United States. Checking for drug usage among individuals is important to identify the abuse at early stages. It helps in reducing the current side effects of health and even prevents further damage to the body. Different methods of drug testing are available. These include urine drug testing, saliva drug testing, hair drug testing, and blood drug testing. Have you ever heard of sweat drug testing? Proceed further to know about it.

From the name, you can know that the drug or its metabolite is detected from sweat of an individual. In a sweat drug test, certain patches are attached to the skin surface for about a period of two weeks. They are designed in such a way that they have some security features. These features keep them from being removed and reapplied without the knowledge of the testing agency. A adhesive layer is present on the thin transparent film of a surgical dressing of the patch. A cellulose pad is attached to it. The sweat gets absorbed and concentrated in the cellulose pad. Oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water vapor are transferred out through the transparent film. However, the drug constituents in the sweat are not lost.

As the patch is kept for many days, the sweat gets saturated and the excreted drug slowly concentrates. Then the patch is removed and sent immediately to the laboratory for analysis. This method of drug testing is mostly used by child protective services and other government institutions concerned with use over long periods when urine drug testing is not applicable or practical.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Is Drug Testing of Sports Persons Necessary?

In today's world economic and the intangible rewards for winning performances in the sports are substantial. As the rewards are high, some athletes are getting unfair competitive advantage over the other athletes with the use of performance enhancing drugs. These athletes are permitted only to use non muscle building dietary supplements that facilitate athletic performance such as carbohydrates, electrolyte drinks, energy bars, vitamins, and minerals etc. However some athletes use drugs like anabolic steroids, human growth hormone and EPO. These drugs not only spoils the game spirit it also shows many effects on the health of the athlete who is abusing the drugs, these drugs can put your future as an athlete at risk because of the bans and penalties imposed by the different sports organizations.

There are many organizations who give standards for drug testing, one of them and whose standards are followed by many sports organizations through out the world is World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) and its code prohibits usage of a substance that satisfies at least two of the following criteria, one is that the drug should create an actual or potential health risk and it should violate the spirit of sport. For a drug to be prohibited it should satisfy both the criteria according to this code.

There are also some tests to detect the drug usage by the athletes and these tests are quick, easy and reliable and one of the problem with these drug detection tests is the performance enhancing drugs used by the athletes also produced naturally in the human body. Right now many sports organizations are conducting doping tests to their athletes in US, which includes Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association, National Football League, and National Hockey League etc. The Federal government recently has taken steps to protect public health and safety by restricting access to performance enhancing drugs and prevent their usage by athletes.

Friday, May 13, 2011

Valentine's Day Gift Ideas for Boys to Make his Girl Happy

The Valentine’s Day gifts for girlfriends are extremely important as they make a woman fall in love. Everybody wants to be shown with love and affection and have a fairy tale romance on this romantic day. Gifts are important things on Valentine’s Day; they show love and care on the recipient. On this special day gifts express the feeling of love more than the spoken words. So every boy wants to present a beautiful gift for his girl to make the day more and more memorable.

Here are few ideas that work for a boy to choose a nice gift for his girl.

A nice gift card: A nice gift card is best choice to give for girls. You can choose a beautiful gift card of her favorite color and write a small love poem or love note on that card and present this gift card along with giving her favorite flower bouquet. Most of the girls like red roses, you can choose a red roses bouquet.

Smart toy:
You can gift a smart toy such as teddy bear. Girls love to have a teddy bear. You can buy a big and cute teddy bear of her favorite color and present it to her. Remember one thing while presenting it to her, write a love note on gift card and attach this gift card to the teddy bear. You can also insert a red heart shape bubble in the teddy bear. This will make her more and more happy.

Jewelry:
Jewelry is the best friend of girls. They love to have more and more jewelry. You can gift jewelry of her favorite ornament such as diamond necklace, earrings, chains, bangles and a diamond ring. This gift will become a memorable gift in her life.

Shopping:
You can offer a shopping voucher for her on this special day. With this she can buy whatever she wants. Most of the girls like shopping, if you give your credit card or a shopping coupon then she will be happier with this gift.

A Romantic Tour:
Girls like to spend much time with their boyfriend. So you can plan a long tour to a romantic place. You can also plan for a picnic for her favorite place.

A romantic dinner:
You can book a table in her favorite restaurant and arrange a candlelight dinner for her. Decorate the table with nice flowers and put a red heart shapes cake. This makes the day more memorable for both of you.

The above are the various Valentine’s Day gift ideas for girls.