Hair Testing for Drugs and Alcohol

ESR provides hair testing for individuals, legal agencies and employers. Hair testing provides information about long-term and chronic drug and alcohol use. 

Hair testing provides information about an individuals patterns of drug use, and approximate time periods when drugs were
taken.

It is not possible to 'cheat' a hair test except by using someone elses hair. Bleaching and dying hair do not compromise the testing. 

Hair testing is often used by the family court in custody cases. It is also useful in managing an employee who has previously submitted a postive test and is in a rehabilitation programme.

Hair testing brochure

 Hair testing for drug use (pdf, 2MB)

ESR can test hair for:

• Stimulants - methamphetamine, amphetamines, MDMA or ‘ecstasy’ and BZP the active component in ‘party pills'
  
• Opiate-type drug - codeine, morphine and a metabolite of heroin and methadone
  
• Sedative-type drugs - valium(diazepam) and zopiclone
• Alcohol - ESR  can detect levels in hair which are indicative of chronic excessive alcohol use

 A full list of drugs tested for is here

Hair testing Q and A