Drug testing involves using urine, hair, saliva or blood samples to detect if a drug has been used within a certain timeframe. But drug testing doesn't measure how impaired someone is.
Workplace drug testing does not always improve workplace safety, can be ineffective at managing impairment, and is highly invasive.
Drug testing can include:
Many drug tests don't detect the presence of the actual drug. Instead, they detect the substances that the body breaks the drug down to (called metabolites).
There are limitations to drug testing:
In safety critical work sites where random drug testing has legal grounds to be used, it may still be limited in managing impairment.
Impairment reduces someone’s ability to make decisions or do their job and can be from: tiredness, stress, dealing with grief or a breakup, medications or alcohol and drug use. Knowing if someone used drugs does not mean they were affected by them at work.