s; cough syrups, nasal sprays, and ear drops can be confused with those of illegal drugs (Wodell 1).To date, the most legally defensible “gold standard” for drug testing, is to screen urine samples with the Enzyme-Medicated Immunoassay Technique (EMIT), and then submit the positives from this step to Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS), which in itself, is a two test procedure (Bina, 122). EMIT is inexpensive and easy to perform, but could produce problems if adulterates are present in the urine and creates a false negative. It has been estimated that EMIT is wrong 25 to 35% of the time. EMIT claims that these results are most likely due to adulteration of the urine specimen. GC/MS is considered the most definitive method for confirming the presence of a drug in urine. This procedure is actually the most costly among urine screening, averaging approximately $200 per sample to test. But, it is the most specific method of testing available, and the only way for the drug user to beat this procedure is by substitution of the urine (Bina 123). There are three factors that affect whether a urine test will be positive: 1) the amount and concentration of the drug that is consumed; 2) the amount of time elapsed between taking the drug and donating the specimen; and 3) the sensitivity of the test used to detect the drug. Please see Table I below:TABLE I: HOW LONG DO DRUGS STAY IN THE SYSTEM? ESTIMATED TIME DRUG DETECTABLE IN URINEAlcohol12 to 24 hoursAmobarbital 2 to 4 daysAmphetamine 2 to 4 daysButalbital 2 to 4 daysCannabinoids 2 to 4 daysOccasional Use 2 to 7 daysRegular Use 30 daysCocaine 12 to 72 hoursCodeine 2 to 4 daysChlordiazepoxide 30 daysDiazepam 30 daysDilaudid 2 to 4 daysEthanol 12 to 24 hoursHeroine 2 to 4 daysMarijuana 30 daysOccasional Use 2 to 7 daysRegular Use 30 daysMorphine 2 to 4 daysMethamphetamine 2 to 4 daysValium 30 days (Bina 124)Today many companies are doing what the FBI has been doing...
