Popularity of Saliva Drug Tests

Saliva drug testing seems to be the method of choice for employers right now when it comes to monitoring staff. Partly because the harvesting of samples is simple and non-invasive, and partly because they are very difficult to cheat. Unless you know a test is due it’s almost impossible to fool a completely random, on the spot test. Saliva drug tests are often used for pre-employment, post-accident, return-to-work, post-accident, reasonable suspicion or random because of it.

Saliva drug testing does have its downsides though. The test is highly sensitive and can involve contact with saliva so should be treated with care. This method isn’t currently approved for Federal mandated drug testing either. The Substance Abuse and Mental Services Administration, SAMSHA for short, doesn’t approve saliva tests for Federal use as they don’t test for the parent drug of THC, which is the most effective way of detecting marijuana in saliva. There are kits coming on the market that can, but there is currently only one manufacturer who has SAMSHA approval.

Drug testing is invasive in any form, but saliva drug testing is the least of the evils. Nobody likes the test, and nobody likes taking them, but the alternatives are workers who could be drunk or high, which in some jobs won’t matter, but in others are recipes for disaster. Saliva drug testing is the least invasive of them all and the one method that employees find the least intrusive. Employer drug testing policies are a barrier between employer and employee, so the simplest test is going to harm relations less than the others. Some people find them humiliating, especially blood or urine tests, so anything that avoids those kinds of feelings in a workforce is a good thing.

America is one of the few places in the world that has workplace drug testing in anything but essential jobs, armed forces or the emergency services. It’s something we have all gotten used to and most of us take it as a matter of course, part of working for an employer and an unfortunate necessity of our society. Anything we can do to minimize the impact of the procedure, and make it as smooth and as possible is a good thing, which is the main advantage of a saliva drug test. Another advantage is that the newer tests can provide results in ten minutes. This cuts out the anxiety involved in waiting for the results of tests. Even if the subject hasn’t taken anything illicit, it’s still a worrying time. Like being pulled over by the cops even if you haven’t done anything wrong. The inherent sense of guilt manifests itself even when it doesn’t need to.

Saliva drug tests are a step forward in workplace safety and a step backwards in privacy. However, they are an unavoidable consequence of modern society and aren’t going anywhere soon. Therefore, it’s in the employers interest to keep the procedure as fair and as simple as possible, which is where saliva drug testing comes in. It’s quick, painless and less invasive than blood or urine, and with the latest kits, can provide results in minutes.