According to Dr. Tran Thi Kim Lien - Deputy Head of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment, Go Vap Ward Health Station, HCMC, there are currently many drug testing methods used depending on the purpose of screening or in-depth diagnosis.
The most common method today is a rapid urine test because it results after a few minutes, usually used for initial screening. In addition, there is also a blood test to detect drugs circulating in the body, often applied in emergency or examination cases.
In addition, saliva tests can detect drug use near the time of the test, while hair tests help trace drug use for a long time, which can last for many months. For cases requiring high accuracy or serving legal examination, doctors will prescribe in-depth techniques such as GC/MS or LC-MS/MS.
According to Dr. Kim Lien, the ability to detect drugs depends on the type of substance used, frequency of use, dosage and testing method. Many types of drugs can be detected in just a few hours from the time of use.
With urine tests, methamphetamine or ecstasy usually leave traces for about 1-5 days after administration, heroin or morphine for about 1-3 days. Cannabis alone can persist longer, from many days to several weeks, especially in regular users.
Blood tests usually only detect in about 12-48 hours, while hair tests can leave a mark after about 7 days and last for several months," said Dr. Lien.
However, there are still many cases of drug use but rapid tests give negative results. According to Dr. Kim Lien, the cause may be due to testing too early or too late after use, the amount of drugs is not enough to detect, or users drink too much water, causing urine samples to be diluted.
In addition, some new synthetic drugs continuously change their chemical structure, making regular tests difficult to detect. Some substances are also mixed in e-cigarettes, essential oils or confectionery, making it even more difficult to recognize with the naked eye.
Doctors warn that new generation drugs can seriously affect mental and neurological health. Users often show signs of sudden personality changes, easily agitated, withdrawn, sleep disorders, rapid weight loss or decline in education and work.
Families need to pay attention to unusual changes in psychology, living and relationships of relatives. When suspected, they should be taken to a medical facility for professional advice instead of handling it emotionally," Dr. Kim Lien recommends.
