Drug Testing Kits

Almost every parent worries that his or her teenager will experiment with drugs, if not become addicted to them. Anxiety increases every time a teen stays out past curfew, comes home with a low score on a test, or makes friends with someone who looks or acts different from the norm. Many parents think that a home drug testing kit is the answer to their hopes and prayers. The truth, however, is that using a home drug testing kit to screen your teen for drug and alcohol abuse is probably not a good idea. This article will explain why not.If you’re the parent of a teenager, the risk of your teen using or abusing recreational drugs and/or alcohol is probably very prominent on your radar. This is especially true if your teen has experienced sudden mood changes, is getting poor grades at school, has new friends you don’t particularly like, or has become secretive. Perhaps you’ve even considered getting a home drug testing kit to ease your mind. Home testing kits generally use urine or hair samples and are designed to test for the most popular categories of drugs: marijuana, opiates, PCP, methamphetamines, cocaine, and alcohol. But having your teen pee in a cup, so to speak, is a poor idea for many reasons. Here are a few of the top ones.

False Positives/False Negatives

Whew! Your teen tested negative for drugs and alcohol. That means you don’t have to worry, right? Wrong. Between the limitations of almost every home drug testing kit on the market and user error, studies have shown that false negative reports can run as high as 40%. A false negative means that the test does not detect substances that actually are in the urine or hair.

Meanwhile, those of you who remember Seinfeld probably remember the episode where one of the characters flunked a drug test because she had been eating poppy seed bagels that caused her urine to test positive for opiates. Similarly, a teen who has been drinking a lot of caffeine (found in coffee and most soft drinks) or even using certain brands of cold meds, may have a false positive test for methamphetamines.

Beating The Test

Do you actually want to watch your teenager urinate into a cup? Probably not.

But the results of an “unobserved” test can always be fiddled with, and almost every teen who uses drugs also knows how to beat drug tests. Common methods include diluting urine with water or even asking a non drug using friend for a clean urine sample.

Talking Is Better Than Testing

Maybe your teen does show typical symptoms of drug abuse. Did you know that many of the symptoms of drug abuse are also symptoms displayed by victims of mental illness, abuse, rape, bullying, and eating disorders? Or perhaps your teen is dealing with unplanned pregnancy or fatherhood, or coming out as gay, lesbian, or bisexual. Parents also sometimes mistake normal teen moodiness for true problem behavior. 

Rather than producing a home drug testing kit, pick a time when you are calm and ask your teen about the changes in his or her behavior and mood. Make it clear that there is nothing your teen can tell you that is so bad you won’t support and help them.

Lack Of Follow Up

Suppose you buy a home drug testing kit, test your teen’s urine, and discover that it is positive for alcohol and/or one or more illicit substances. What then? Where do you turn? Who do you call for help? The testing kit will give you information, but once you have the information, you still may not know the  next steps to take.

If you truly believe your teen is abusing alcohol or drugs, make an appointment for him or her to see a physician for evaluation. Your doctor can talk to your teen, run a battery of tests, perhaps including a drug and alcohol screening, and give you advice for follow up.

Unless you are sure beyond the shadow of a doubt that your teen is actually addicted to drugs and/or alcohol, it is better to see your family doctor first rather than to take your teen for an evaluation at a drug/alcohol rehabilitation center. Your doctor has no vested interest in forcing your teen into treatment. A for-profit rehab center does.

Conclusion

If you believe your teen has a problem with drugs or alcohol, it’s time to take action, but using a home drug testing kit probably isn’t the way to go. Instead, talk to your child and arrange for him or her to receive competent medical care and counseling.