Videos
Podcasts
Blogs
Quizzes
Games
You Asked:
How do drug tests work? — Robert, Clinton, Missouri
Marshall Answered:
Most drug tests work by detecting a chemical signature in the urine (although it is important to note that alcohol is a drug, and it is often detected with breath tests). A marijuana test is a typical drug test that an employer might perform. When a person smokes marijuana, the active ingredient is THC. The body metabolizes THC and turns it into THC metabolites like THCA, which get filtered out into the urine. THCA can be detected with a gas spectrometer, or by letting it bind with antibodies. For more information see How Marijuana Works and Forensic Drug Testing
Comment Now