Addiction Recovery

Many companies, as well as the federal government, require that their employees submit to drug testing at the workplace. The reasons are obvious. Drug use can undermine an employee's reliability, productivity, and overall health. In some occupations, an employee impaired by drug use can be a public safety hazard. Some employers refuse to hire people who have any sort of criminal drug record.

Hair, blood, sweat, and saliva can all be tested to determine drug use, but urine testing is the most common means. Traces of opiates remain in urine for up to four days following use, and an indicator unique to heroin remains detectable for two to eight hours after use. Opioids such as methadone do not yield a positive test, although eating about a teaspoon of poppy seeds will indeed result in a positive test for opiates.