The different methods of testing for amphetamines are urine, hair, salvia, and blood tests. These tests will determine if the person has used amphetamine, methamphetamine, or ecstasy. Each type of testing for amphetamines provides different amounts of information, such as how much of the substance the person has ingested or how long ago they used amphetamines. Drug testing for new hires, testing before medical procedures, or tests ordered by law enforcement officials are common reasons why a person will need to undergo a drug test.
A urinalysis is a method for testing for amphetamines that shows if the person has used the substance. It will not produce results that show the level of amphetamines in the system. The drug may not be detected if the person ingested the substance over a week before the test. A second test will usually be performed to confirm the results and reveal more details about the person’s use of the substance.
Hair tests for amphetamine usage extracts drugs from the root of a hair sample. This test will show if any drugs have been used within the last 90 days, depending on the rate of hair growth, and the test could reveal drug usage from farther back in time. The hair analysis method can use hair from any source on a person’s body. This method has been criticized because the hair from people of a certain ethnic groups will produce a false positive.
Blood testing for amphetamines may be required by medical and law enforcement professionals because it provides the most amount of information on the person’s drug usage. A blood test will show the amount of the substance in the body. Blood tests are the most expensive type of drug test and the least common type of test performed.
In a saliva drug test, the subject places a cotton swab or toothbrush-like instrument between the gums and teeth for around two minutes. The swab is then taken to a lab for analysis. Salvia testing will only show drug usage within the last 24 hours. as substances are flushed from the salvia within 12 to 24 hours.
Amphetamine is a type of stimulant that affects the central nervous system and models the way adrenaline acts in the body, giving the person more energy, strength, focus, confidence, euphoric feelings, and it also decreases the appetite. This drug is used commercially in some attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications and weight-loss formulas. As an illegal drug, amphetamine is most commonly used to produce speed, crystal meth, and ecstasy. Amphetamine is highly addictive, and the person must continually increase their intake of the substance to maintain the same level of effects from the drug.