About Saliva Swab Drug Testing
Saliva swab drug testing is becoming more common in a number of settings, and has replaced urine and blood drug tests in some cases. This is because using saliva is less invasive, does not require needles or involve any infection risks, and those being tested do not need to urinate in front of a witness, which can be uncomfortable for both parties. However, this method of drug testing does have drawbacks, and must be further developed before it can be used exclusively for drug testing in place of other accepted methods.
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History
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When it comes to drug testing, the methods used in the past have disadvantages. Collecting either blood or urine for testing can have infection and modesty issues. In November 2002, the FDA approved the use of the first saliva swab drug testing kit, and the kit started being used by employers and some law enforcement agents, including probation and parole officers, courts and police officers. The use of saliva for drug testing became more common as further research was done. Research and clinical tests show that the drug concentration of saliva is indicative of the blood drug concentration in most cases, but there are other issues that must be worked out before saliva swab drug testing can be accepted as the legal standard in a court.
Significance
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Saliva swab drug testing has the potential of completely revolutionizing drug screening by eliminating all of the disadvantages. There is no need for needles or invasive procedures, there are no infection risks, and there are also no modesty or nudity issues to contend with. Law enforcement officers and correction officials of both genders will have the ability to drug screen prisoners and suspected criminals with fast and accurate results --- and no embarrassment.
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Types and Varieties
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There are currently a number of saliva swab drug testing kits available, depending on who is doing the testing and who will be tested, as well as what the results will be used for. There are home kits, intended for parents who want to test their children to detect drug use, and also professional test kits that are used by law enforcement agencies. These tests are usually effective only at diagnosing drug use in the past 24 hours, and will not normally reveal any use before that time.
Most Common
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One of the most commonly used saliva swab drug testing kits is the iScreen OFD Screen. This oral fluid swab drug testing kit is available to screen for a number of different drugs, and comes in single drug and multi drug types. The multi drug screening kits, such as the five or six panel drug kits, are the most popular for home drug testing.
Summary
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Testing saliva instead of blood or urine will eliminate discomfort on both sides of the drug testing process, it has no infection risks, and there is no need for a person of the same gender to do the testing. But further research and development must be done to improve and standardize the collection and testing procedures.
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- Photo Credit Oralert
