Hair Drug Testing At Home

Can your child's hair really tell you if he is doing drugs?

The answer is yes and you can buy the "do-it-yourself" test kit over the counter or online.

But is it as accurate as professional testing?

The product is called HairConfirm and the makers say it can detect drug use history for up to 90 days but how accurate is it? That's what some professionals question.

P.D.A.P program director Bruce Cooper said: "I've seen kids as young as 7 come in here using drugs. The average age for starting is about 10 ½ to eleven years old in this area."

Startling statistics like these what may lead parents to get over the counter drug testing like this product where they just mail off a sample of their child's hair.

General Manager of CRS Diagnostics Randall Kinzie said: "What I don't like about home kits period whether it's urine or it's hair is that you have no guarantee that the lab is doing what they said they would do."

Kinzie over at CRS Diagnostics doesn't buy into the accuracy of the convenient fix.

"The collection itself is important you have to know how to properly collect it, how to properly prepare it for delivery."

It's something CRS does almost everyday. But how do parents feel about the at home testing?

Rene Rodriguez said: "If it's simple steps that would be fine, but if it's a little complicated I'd rather go with someone who knows what they are doing, make sure that it's done right."

Angie Ellis said: "It's easier to do it at home, you've got them right there rather than loading them into a car and taking them somewhere to do it."

Another parent said: "I'll leave it to the professionals because that's what they are paid for that's their job."

Everyone we spoke to agrees communication is always the first step.

"Get your kid in to see somebody, let them talk to them and find out what the extent of the use is and what's going on."

Resources:

Drug Testing: CRS Diagnostic: 367-8260

Drug Treatment: Palmer Drug Abuse Program (P.D.A.P.): 685-3645

Home Testing: www.hairconfirm.com

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Tags:

• Hair
• Drug
• Testing
• Angie
• Ellis
• Rene
• Rodriguez
• CRS
• Diagnostics
• Randall
• Kinzie
• HairConfirm