5 Pros and Cons of Home Drug Testing

You’ve gone through the interviews, faced a panel, and finally secured the job. Now, your soon-to-be employer wants you to take a drug test before commencing your role. This is an integral part of the process. It informs the employer of your reliability as an employee by ruling out or confirming a case of drug addiction.

Most people are worried about these tests even if they’re not addicts. You see, something as simple as the traces of alcohol or marijuana in your system from a night of celebration can rule you out as the right candidate for the position. Therefore, you can’t afford to take the test if you suspect your system may be impaired.

Most individuals choose to do a home drug test before taking the test recommended by the employer. But is it the same? Are you assured that your results will be the same? Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of home drug testing to find out.

Advantages of Home Drug Testing

It’s understandable why most people prefer home drug testing to laboratory tests. Home drug tests come with numerous benefits. They also offer a lot of conveniences. Below are some of the advantages of taking a home drug test:

They Are Easy to Perform

One of the best things about home drug tests is that they come with simple instructions. As long as you follow the instructions on the card, you’ll be able to perform the test and read the results effortlessly.

You Know the Results Sooner

Unlike a lab test, you get your results way sooner when using a home drug test kit. In most cases, you only have to wait a few minutes to get the results. And for tests that take longer, you can go about your day doing other things as you wait for the results. This is more convenient than sitting in a waiting area or waiting nervously for the lab analyst or physician to call.

Privacy

Home drug test kits also offer the advantage of privacy. You get to do it in the comfort of your home without anyone having to find out about your drug test. Furthermore, you can take as many tests as you wish without anyone finding out.

Affordable

Home drug-test kits are also more affordable than lab tests. Because there’s no expert involved in taking the samples, doing the test, or interpreting the results, many costs get eliminated. However, this can be an advantage and a disadvantage.

You Don’t Need Expert Interpretation

You also don’t need a lab technician or physician to help you take a home drug test. The tests come with detailed instructions on how to do the tests and interpret the results. What’s more, everything you need to do the test is included in the kit. They also state which samples you need to use to conduct the test.

Disadvantages of Home Drug Testing

There is no doubt home drug testing has many advantages and offers a lot of conveniences. However, these tests also have disadvantages worth considering before deciding to do a drug test at home. These include:

They’re More Expensive in the Long Run

As we’ve mentioned, buying an at-home drug test kit is more affordable than taking a lab test. However, in the long run, you end up spending more on at-home drug tests. If there’s a positive, you have to take another test to confirm it. This is unlikely to happen in a lab setting because the lab analysts consider numerous factors before concluding. Not to mention, you pay a higher price if you go for a cheap test that ultimately costs you a job because it wasn’t accurate.

It’s Easier to Cheat

This is an advantage for the person taking the test but an excellent disadvantage for someone who needs the results. For example, if the drug test is for employees, as the employer, you’ll have no assurance that the people you’re considering hiring are not dependent on drugs.

There’s Room for Error

You should opt for a lab test instead of home drug testing because home tests have a lot of room for error. Laboratories have to be assessed by licensed regulatory bodies to ensure the lab conditions are suitable for testing. This way, there’s an assurance that no environmental factors will interfere with the results.

They’re Not Always Accurate

It’s not uncommon to get a false positive or negative with home drug testing kits. This is something you don’t want to risk when your job is on the line. It would be better to take an accurate test and rest assured your employer will have the same results when you retake the test.

The Results are Not Detailed

Home drug testing also doesn’t offer detailed results. These tests often show either a positive or negative. You won’t know by how much you failed or passed the test. Lab tests provide detailed information, thereby making it easier for you to understand your actual state.