Cannabis drug testing - Revision history

Adm1n at 19:55, 23 February 2015

2015-02-23T19:55:38Z

Adm1n at 19:55, 23 February 2015

2015-02-23T19:55:25Z

Adm1n at 09:29, 13 February 2015

2015-02-13T09:29:47Z

Adm1n at 12:26, 27 January 2015

2015-01-27T12:26:34Z

Adm1n at 12:25, 27 January 2015

2015-01-27T12:25:56Z

Adm1n at 12:23, 27 January 2015

2015-01-27T12:23:50Z

Adm1n at 12:21, 27 January 2015

2015-01-27T12:21:19Z

Adm1n at 12:17, 27 January 2015

2015-01-27T12:17:50Z

Adm1n at 12:17, 27 January 2015

2015-01-27T12:17:30Z

Adm1n at 12:16, 27 January 2015

2015-01-27T12:16:57Z

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 Unlike alcohol, for which impairment can be reasonably measured using a breathalyser (and confirmed with a blood alcohol content measurement), valid detection for cannabis is time-consuming, and tests cannot determine an approximate degree of impairment. The lack of suitable tests and agreed-upon intoxication levels is an issue in the legality of cannabis debate, especially regarding intoxicated driving.
-[[File:cannabis drug testing - Weed Depot.jpg|300px|thumb|left|Cannabis drug testing]]
+[[File:cannabis drug testing - Weed Depot.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Cannabis drug testing]]
 The concentrations obtained from such analyses can often be helpful in distinguishing active use from passive exposure, elapsed time since use, and extent or duration of use.

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 Unlike alcohol, for which impairment can be reasonably measured using a breathalyser (and confirmed with a blood alcohol content measurement), valid detection for cannabis is time-consuming, and tests cannot determine an approximate degree of impairment. The lack of suitable tests and agreed-upon intoxication levels is an issue in the legality of cannabis debate, especially regarding intoxicated driving.
+[[File:cannabis drug testing - Weed Depot.jpg|300px|thumb|left|Cannabis drug testing]]
 The concentrations obtained from such analyses can often be helpful in distinguishing active use from passive exposure, elapsed time since use, and extent or duration of use.

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
-'''Contents'''
+== Biological timeline ==
-Biological timeline
-−
-Testing methods
-.1 Urine testing
-.2 Duquenois–Levine reagent
-.3 Hair testing
-.4 Saliva testing
-.5 Blood testing
-.6 Neurological testing
-−
-Usage in law
-−
-−
-−
-'''Biological timeline'''
-−
-Main article: [[Effects of cannabis]]
 Most cannabinoids are lipophilic (fat soluble) compounds that easily store in fat, thus yielding a long elimination half-life relative to other recreational drugs. The THC molecule, and related compounds, are usually detectable in drug tests from 3 days up to 10 days according to Redwood Laboratories; heavy users can produce positive tests for up to 10 months after ceasing cannabis use. The length of time varies greatly according to metabolism, quantity, and frequency of use.
-'''Testing methods'''
+== Testing methods ==
-−
-== Urine testing ==
 [[Marijuana]] use can be detected up to 2–5 days after exposure for infrequent users; For heavy users: 1–15 days; For chronic users and/or users with high body fat: 1–30 days Under the typical 50 ng/mL cutoff for THC in the United States, an occasional or on-off user would be very unlikely to test positive beyond 3–4 days since the last use, and a chronic user would be unlikely to test positive much beyond 7 days. Using a more sensitive cutoff of 20 ng/mL (less common but still used by some labs), the most likely maximum times are 7 days and 21 days, respectively. In extraordinary circumstances of extended marijuana use, detection times of more than 30 days are possible in some individuals at the 20 ng/mL cutoff.  However, one must remember that every individual is different, and detection times can vary due to metabolism or other factors. It also depends on whether actual THC or THC metabolites are being tested for, the latter having a much longer detection time than the former. [[THC]] (found in marijuana) may only be detectable in saliva/oral fluid for 2–24 hours in most cases.
@@ Line 58: / Line 41: @@
-== Duquenois–Levine reagent ==
+'''[[Duquenois–Levine reagent]]'''
@@ Line 66: / Line 49: @@
 It was adopted in the 1950s by the United Nations as the preferred test for cannabis.
-Step 1 – addition of Duquenois reagent to dried petroleum ether extract
+*Step 1 – addition of Duquenois reagent to dried petroleum ether extract
+*Step 2 – addition of hydrochloric acid
 Step 2 – addition of hydrochloric acid
 Cannabis use is detectable with hair tests and is generally included in the standard hair test. Hair tests generally take the most recent 1.5 inches of growth and use those for testing. That provides a detection period of approximately 90 days. If an individual's hair is shorter than 1.5 inches, this detection period will be shorter. The detection window for body hair cannabis testing will be longer, because body hair grows slower than head hair and distorts the detection timeframe. Hair drug testing measures the marijuana parent metabolite embedded inside the hairshaft and eliminates external contamination as a source of a positive result. The detection window of hair drug testing for cannabis can be as low as 1 pg/mg.
+'''Saliva testing'''
-== Saliva testing ==
-−
 Cannabis is detectable by saliva testing. Just like blood testing, saliva testing detects the presence of parent drugs and not their inactive metabolites. This results in a shorter window of detection for cannabis by saliva testing. Delta 9 THC is the parent compound. If saliva sample is tested in a lab, the detection level can be as low as 0.5 ng/mL (up to 72 hours after intake) and if an onsite instant saliva drug test is used, the cut off level is generally 50 ng/mL (up to 12 hours after intake). Per National Institute on Drug Abuse saliva drug testing provides a reasonable alternative to other drug testing methods.
+'''Blood testing'''
-== Blood testing ==
-−
 Cannabis is detectable in the blood for approximately 2–3 days after use, with heavy/frequent use detectable in the blood for approximately two weeks. Because they are invasive and difficult to administer, blood tests are used less frequently. They are typically used in investigations of accidents, injuries and DUIs.
@@ Line 99: / Line 74: @@
-== Neurological testing ==
+'''Neurological testing'''
-−
 Though very unlikely to be used, and more unlikely in court, Electroencephalography or EEG shows somewhat more persistent alpha waves of slightly lower frequency than usual. Cannabinoids produce a "marked depression of motor activity" via activation of neuronal [[cannabinoid]] receptors belonging to the [[CB1]] subtype.
 While there are blood, urine and hair tests that can track marijuana’s active ingredient in the body, the fact remains that marijuana lingers around for too long a period in order for one of these tests to determine the actual intake time. Also, the variation between different metabolisms makes an objective cannabis intoxication test very difficult.

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 '''Contents'''
 Biological timeline
 Testing methods
 .1 Urine testing
 .2 Duquenois–Levine reagent
 .3 Hair testing
 .4 Saliva testing
 .5 Blood testing
 .6 Neurological testing
 Usage in law
-References
+Usage in law

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 '''Contents'''
 Biological timeline
 Testing methods
-== 1.Biological timeline ==
+.1 Urine testing
 .2 Duquenois–Levine reagent
-== 2 Testing methods ==
+.3 Hair testing
 .4 Saliva testing
-== 2.1 Urine testing ==
+.5 Blood testing
 .6 Neurological testing
-== 2.2 Duquenois–Levine reagent ==
+Usage in law
+References
-== 2.3 Hair testing ==
-−
-== 2.4 Saliva testing ==
-−
-== 2.5 Blood testing ==
-−
-== 2.6 Neurological testing ==
-−
-== '''3 Usage in law''' ==
-−
-−

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:21, 27 January 2015
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−	[[~~Marijuan~~]] use can be detected up to 2–5 days after exposure for infrequent users; For heavy users: 1–15 days; For chronic users and/or users with high body fat: 1–30 days Under the typical 50 ng/mL cutoff for THC in the United States, an occasional or on-off user would be very unlikely to test positive beyond 3–4 days since the last use, and a chronic user would be unlikely to test positive much beyond 7 days. Using a more sensitive cutoff of 20 ng/mL (less common but still used by some labs), the most likely maximum times are 7 days and 21 days, respectively. In extraordinary circumstances of extended marijuana use, detection times of more than 30 days are possible in some individuals at the 20 ng/mL cutoff. However, one must remember that every individual is different, and detection times can vary due to metabolism or other factors. It also depends on whether actual THC or THC metabolites are being tested for, the latter having a much longer detection time than the former. [[THC]] (found in marijuana) may only be detectable in saliva/oral fluid for 2–24 hours in most cases.	+	[[Marijuana]] use can be detected up to 2–5 days after exposure for infrequent users; For heavy users: 1–15 days; For chronic users and/or users with high body fat: 1–30 days Under the typical 50 ng/mL cutoff for THC in the United States, an occasional or on-off user would be very unlikely to test positive beyond 3–4 days since the last use, and a chronic user would be unlikely to test positive much beyond 7 days. Using a more sensitive cutoff of 20 ng/mL (less common but still used by some labs), the most likely maximum times are 7 days and 21 days, respectively. In extraordinary circumstances of extended marijuana use, detection times of more than 30 days are possible in some individuals at the 20 ng/mL cutoff. However, one must remember that every individual is different, and detection times can vary due to metabolism or other factors. It also depends on whether actual THC or THC metabolites are being tested for, the latter having a much longer detection time than the former. [[THC]] (found in marijuana) may only be detectable in saliva/oral fluid for 2–24 hours in most cases.