Drug Test Detection Times & Cut Off Levels
Drug test detection times and cut off levels for urine and saliva drug testing kits
Detection times for drugs
The time that drugs can be detected on a drug test, varies depending on the type of drug test kit used, and also the brand of drug testing kit that is used. This is often referred to as the window of detection for a drug. As a general rule drugs can be detected longer in urine than in saliva.
Urine drug test detection times & cut off levels
Use the tables below to confirm the sensitivity and window of detection possible. Our urine drug testing cup kits contain everything you need to perform urine drug screening in the workplace
Drug test detection times and drug test detection cut off level table below shows:
- The full name of drug
- Drug test code abbreviations on the drug test next to its name
- The detection windows for each drug ie the approximate detectable time each drug remains detectable in the urine after last use
- The cut off levels for detection of each drug in urine
This tables below should help you in understanding what the abbreviated names on a drug test mean, and how long the after a drug has been consumed can the drug be detected in urine or saliva.
UK Drug Testing urine drug test codes & standard sensitivity cut off levels and detection times
Some ultra sensitive drug test membranes now have enhanced sensitivities specified in the individual drug test listing.
|
Drug Name: |
Abbreviation: |
Detection Period Up To |
Cut off: |
|
Alcohol |
ETG |
Up to 80 hours |
500ng/mL |
|
AB-PINICA synthetic THC |
APB |
2-5 days |
10ng/mL |
|
Amphetamine |
AMP |
2-6 days |
1000ng/mL |
|
Barbiturates |
BAR |
3-8 days |
300ng/mL |
|
Benzodiazepines |
BZO |
5-30 days |
300ng/mL |
|
Buprenorphine |
BUP |
3-6 days |
10ng/mL |
|
Cannabinol |
CNB |
5-30 days |
500ng/ml |
|
Cannabis (Marijuana, Weed) |
THC |
5-30 days 5-45 days * |
50ng/mL 25ng/ml 20ng/ml |
|
Cathinone |
DCA |
1-4 days |
150ng/mL |
|
Carfentanyl |
CFY |
2-5 days |
500ng/mL |
|
Cocaine |
COC |
2-5 days 3-5 days |
300ng/mL 150ng/mL |
|
Cotinine |
COT |
2-5 days |
100ng/mL |
|
Ecstasy |
MDMA |
2-6 days |
1000ng/mL |
|
EDDP |
EDDP |
2-5 days |
300ng/mL |
|
Fentanyl |
FYL |
2-3 days |
10ng/mL |
|
Gabapentin |
GAB |
1-2 days |
2000ng/mL |
|
Ketamine |
KET |
3-5 days |
1000ng/mL |
|
Lysergic Acid |
LSD |
2-5 days |
20ng/mL |
|
Meperidine |
MPR |
1-4 days |
100ng/mL |
|
Mephedrone |
MEP |
1-2 days |
100ng/mL |
|
Methadone |
MTD |
2-8 days |
300ng/mL |
|
Methamphetamine |
mAMP |
3-5 days |
1000ng/mL |
|
Methaqualone |
MQL |
12-14 days |
300ng/mL |
|
Methylenedioxypyrovalerone |
MDPV |
3-5 days |
1000ng/mL |
|
6-monoacetylmorphine |
DMA |
2-5 days |
10ng/mL |
|
Opiate / Morphine |
MOR/P |
2-5 days |
300ng/mL |
|
Opiate / Morphine |
OPI |
2-4 days |
2000ng/mL |
|
Oxycodone |
OXY |
2-4 days |
300ng/mL |
|
Phencyclidine |
PCP |
7-14 days |
25ng/mL |
|
Pregabalin |
PGB |
3-5 days |
50ug/mL |
|
Propoxyphene |
PPX |
1-2 days |
300ng/mL |
|
Synthetic Marijuana |
K2/Spice |
Up to 72 hrs |
50ng/mL |
|
Tramadol |
TML |
3-5 days |
500ng/mL |
|
Trazadone |
TZD |
3-5 days |
200ng/mL |
|
Tricyclic Antidepressants |
TCA |
2-10 days |
300ng/mL |
|
Zolpidem |
ZOL |
1-7 days |
50ng/mL |
* Cannabis THC detection times in urine have been reported as testing positive up to 45 days after last use following heavy long term Cannabis use in individuals with high residual body fat levels, as THC is stored in fat and can be released gradually. This is particular common if an ultra sensitive 20ng or 25ng THC detection urine drug test is used in place of the usual 50ng THC detection test. How long THC stays in a person's system varies hugely between individuals.
How long are drugs detectable in urine and saliva?
Cut-off levels for drug test kits are brand specific and as a guide, the window period for drug detection using a saliva or oral fluid drug testing kit are shorter than the comparable urine drug test.
The length of time a drug can be detected on any drug test will vary from individula to individual, and will also depend on the drug test brand, the sensitivity of the drug test, as well as the format of the drug test kit being used.
The amount of time drugs stay in the body and can be detected on a drug test depends on many factors such as:
- The amount of the drug that has been taken
- The strength and purity of the drug taken
- The body weight of the person being drug tested
- The rate of metabolism of the individual being tested
- Whether the person being tested is a casual drug user or a long-term user.
- Cut-offs are brand specific and as a guide, the window period for drug detection using saliva or oral fluid drug test are shorter than the comparable urine test.
Oral fluid saliva drug test kit detection times
Oral saliva drug test detection times tend to be shorter, when compared to the equivalent detection times in a urine drug test. This can be useful particularly for employers, as it is a good indication of whether an employee is 'under the influence of drugs at work' The dose of the drug taken has a significant effect on the clearance times. If you have a question about saliva drug test detection times, that is not answered here please contact our UK customer support team.
Saliva drug detection times & cut off levels for our drug tests
|
Drug Name |
Abbrevaition |
Detection Period |
Detection level |
|
Alcohol |
ALC |
Real time |
0.02%BAC |
|
Amphetamine |
AMP |
2-3 days |
50ng/mL |
|
Benzodiazepines |
BZO |
2-3 days |
50ng/mL |
|
Buprenorphine |
BUP |
2-3 days |
10ng/mL |
|
Cannabis (Marijuana, Weed) |
THC |
8-12 hours ** 4-6 hours ** |
12ng/mL 50ng/mL |
|
Cocaine |
COC |
1-2 days |
20ng/mL |
|
Cotinine |
COT |
1-2 days |
20g/mL |
|
Ecstasy |
MDMA |
2-3 days |
50ng/mL |
|
Fentanyl |
FYL |
48-72 hours |
20ng/mL |
|
Ketamine |
KET |
48-72 hours |
50ng/mL |
|
Methadone |
MTD |
8-12 hours |
30ng/mL 35ng/mL |
|
Methamphetamine |
mAMP |
2-3 days |
50ng/mL |
|
Opiates |
OPI |
7-21 hours |
40ng/mL |
|
Oxycodone |
OXY |
2-3 days |
30ng/mL 50ng/mL |
|
Phencyclidine |
PCP |
12-24 hours |
10ng/mL |
|
Synthetic Marijuana |
K2/Spice |
Up to 48 hours |
25ng/mL |
|
Tramadol |
TML |
Up to 48 hours |
30ng/mL |
** Depends on parent compound still being deposited in the oral cavity.
Fingerprint drug test detection times
The window of detection for drugs and their metabolites on a fingerprint drug test, is shorter than on a urine or saliva drug test for most drugs, at up to 16 hours.
Hair drug test detection times
The detection window for drugs in hair can vary depending on several factors, including the type of drug, the individual's hair growth rate, the length of the hair sample, and the sensitivity of the testing method. Generally, drugs can be detected in hair for a longer period compared to other biological samples like urine, saliva or sweat. For most common drugs including Cannabis and Cocaine the detection period is around 90 days in hair.
It's important to note that hair drug tests are not necessarily indicative of current drug use but rather past use. The hair closest to the scalp represents the most recent drug use, so a longer hair sample will show a longer history of drug use. Additionally, hair tests are not always as sensitive as other types of drug tests, so they may not detect low-level or occasional drug use.
Contact our drug testing experts to make an enquiry about workplace drug or alcohol testing
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