Frequently Asked Questions

 

 

Q: How do I tell if a child is on a controlled substance?
A:
1. Increased absence from school or work. The quality of schoolwork or grades drop. Discipline problems.
2. Personality changes/unusual outbursts or displays of temper.
3. A shirking of responsibilities.
4. Unexplained changes in overall attitude, including depression, withdrawal or apathy.
5. Deterioration or sudden change of physical appearance or grooming habits.
6. Sudden secretiveness or inappropriate concerns for privacy; poorly concealed attempts to avoid attention and suspicion, such as frequent trips to the restroom or basement may be an attempt to conceal drug use.
7. Wearing sunglasses, or frequent use of eye drops, to conceal the appearance of the eyes.
8. Association with known drug users or "problem" students.
9. Unusual borrowing of money from friends, siblings, or parents.
10. Stealing - either at home or through shoplifting.
11. Possessing unexplained valuables.
12. Drug paraphernalia.

 

Q: Is alcohol considered a drug and why?
A: Alcohol is the most commonly used and widely abused psychoactive drug in the United States. Alcohol reduces reaction time, slow down the thought process and lowers ones inhibitions. Underage use of alcohol is extremely dangerous in minors.

 

Q: Is Marijuana dangerous?
A: Marijuana is 15 - 20 times stronger than it was in the 1960's. It IS a gateway drug. Statistics show that most hard drug users started with marijuana. Constant use of marijuana kills brain cells.

 

Q: Child not willing to give urine sample and how to obtain that sample. Is there a way to get a sample without my child's knowledge?
A: Some children may refuse to comply with taking a drug test. We address this issue in our program manual. As a last resort, we do offer parents a method to test their child without the child's knowledge.

 

Q: What if my child tests positive for drugs or alcohol?
A: If your child is using, this is the best time to catch them. Hopefully you started testing them early. Catching them early increases your chances of helping them significantly. Our program manual teaches you how to respond to a positive test. We're with you every step of the way. Should your child need counseling or treatment, we have the resources to help you take the next steps.

 

Q: What age should I begin drug testing my child?
A: Every family situation is different. Some children are experimenting with drugs as young as 8 and 9 years old. We suggest that a program of random drug testing is implemented by the age of 12. Unfortunately, the transition from grade school to middle school is a time when most kids start using drugs. They are vulnerable and want to fit in with their peers.

 

Q: Does it help to talk to your kids?
A: Kids will learn from their parents or they will learn in the streets. If you talk to your kids about drugs, they are five times less likely to use. Talk to your kids.

 

Q: How soon should I be talking with my children about drugs?
A: It's never too early to share how you feel about drugs and what your expectations are in terms of zero tolerance of drug use by your children. A study showed that 74% of 4th graders wished their parents would speak with them about drugs.

 

Q: How big is the problem?
A: The scope of the problem is staggering.

• The average age for kids to begin experimenting with illegal substances is 13.

• 8th graders 30-day use of an illegal drug was 8.4% in 2004

• 12th graders 30-day use of an illegal drug was 23.4% in 2004

 

Q: Does it help to talk to your kids?
A: Kids will learn from their parents or they will learn in the streets. If you talk to your kids about drugs, they are five times less likely to use. Talk to your kids.

 

Q: Would my child lie to me about using drugs?
A: ABSOLUTELY!! If your child is using, they will lie about anything. I know this seems harsh but it is 100% true.

 

Q: Are inhalants dangerous and why?
A: Lifetime use of inhalants increased significantly among 8th graders. From 15.8% in 2003 to 17.3% in 2004. Even a single session of repeated inhalant abuse can disrupt heart rhythms and cause dealt from cardiac arrest or lower oxygen levels enough to cause suffocation. Regular abuse of inhalants can cause serious damage to the brain, heart, kidneys, and liver.

 

Q. If a drug test shows positive; can it be proved how long ago the drug was taken?

A. Saliva, urine and blood only show up a positive or negative result, not how long ago a drug has been taken.

 

Q. I am an employee (for example, truck driver, merchant mariner, pilot, etc) covered under the DOT regulations. Can you give me specific information on the DOT regulations?

A. Please call DOT directly at 202-366-3784 or visit its website at www.dot.gov/ost/dapc

 

Q. How does your rapid drug tests work?

A. Rapid drug tests detect the presence of drug metabolites in saliva or urine in minutes. When a detection strip is wetted with a saliva or urine specimen, the specimen reacts with the reagents and antigens on the strip and produces a color reading so you can interpret a positive or negative result.

 

Q. Will substances that I use regularly like vitamins, penicillin, aspirin and caffeine affect the results in any way?

A. No - because our rapid drug tests react to drugs and drug metabolites, not to these substances which have a different chemical structure.

 

Q. How accurate are your drug-testing products?

A. Our products are reliable. Our tests are United States FDA-cleared (unless stated otherwise). Laboratory testing has revealed that they are over 95% accurate. However, it is always advisable to get results confirmed by a laboratory.

 

Q. Why should I use a rapid drug test?

A. You can use a rapid drug test to ensure privacy. This is very useful in a variety of situations - at home, school, place of work, pre-employment, after accidents, random testing for drugs, etc.

 

Q. Do you think I could test positive for marijuana (THC) from exposure to second-hand smoke?

A. No you cannot as the urine concentration, if any, will be way below the cut-off level.

 

Q. Which drugs can be found with your tests?

A. Our tests can be used to determine the presence of the following drugs of abuse:

 

Amphetamines (AMP)

Barbiturates (BAR)

Benzodiazepines (BZO)

Buprenorphine (BUP)

Cocaine (COC)

Ecstacy (MDMA)

K2 Spice

Marijuana (THC)

Methamphetamines (mAMP)

Methadone (MTD)

Methadone (MTD)

Morphine (MOP)

Phencyclidine (PCP)

Propoxyphene (PPX)

Opiates (OPI)

Oxycodone (OXY)

Trycyclic Antidepressants (TCA)

 

 

Q. What should I do if my child tests positive for drugs or alcohol?

A. First of all, stay calm. You are in control and now have the proof that your child is using drugs. Our program manual teaches you how to respond to a positive test. We're with you every step of the way. Should your child need counseling or treatment, we have the resources to help you take the next steps.