Last updated : December 16, 2024
Contrary to that old adage, there is such a thing as a stupid question. Drug users can ask some doozies!
Often, these questions pertain to drug tests, the nemesis of the drug user. A looming drug test for employment or the probation officer strikes fear in their heart. Because, sadly, they are not likely to stop using their drug of choice if they are an addict.
Casual drug use holds the same place in society as our relationship with alcohol. Casual drug users say it’s okay to unwind after a hard day’s work or on the weekend if you know when to say when. However, an addict pushes things to the brink. That is to say, if addiction isn’t put in check, the person is likely to lose everything they hold dear.
There are no two ways about it, drug use is rampant in our nation. Consequently, the overdose statistics related to opioid abuse alone are nothing short of staggering.
In the mind of the drug abuser, desperate times call for desperate measures.
Inquiring minds need to know
When faced with a drug test and certain there are drugs in your system, panic sets in. Even if nonchalantly asking a question, a drug user suddenly throwing a question into the conversation raises red flags.
Have you ever had that type of “hmmm” moment?
The person is probably so consumed with worry over an impending drug test that they are having trouble focusing on anything else.
Case in point:
How long does (insert any drug name here) stay in your system?
This question is all over the internet for every illicit and abused drug on the market. The range of time a drug remains in the system varies depending on the specific drug. They are probably either hoping against hope that they test negative or are plotting to use until the last possible second before refraining to obtain a negative result.
How can I find out what legal drugs can make me test positive for (drug of choice)?
There are a few prescription drugs that can cause a false positive on drug tests. The odds are, though, that if you try and use this excuse your employer is going to ask you for a statement from your doctor. If it’s unobtainable because you have no prescription, it will not bode well.
I have a pre-employment test tomorrow. They aren’t going to watch me, are they?
If one has never had to take a pre-employment drug test, this question may be innocently asked. However, blurted out of nowhere, by a known drug user certainly raises suspicion that falsifying the test is being contemplated.
How many hairs do they have to pull out to get enough hair follicles?
Although a non-drug user may ask this question, we want to get the word out on the hair follicle drug test. The testing tech will not hover over you with a pair of tweezers plucking away.
Drug metabolites find their way to the hair follicle. They actually grow out and become part of the hair. There is no plucking involved. The technician snips a small section of hair (about 120 strands) as close to the scalp as possible. Test techs will take the hair from several places if the subject’s hair is thin. This is so no bald spots show.
If I shave my head, they can’t administer the test, right?
Wrong. Before a moment of desperation strikes and you shave your luscious locks, you should know that hair from anywhere on the body can be used for the test. That’s right, anywhere.
Hold up a minute there, genius, consider how odd it’s going to look if you show up completely hairless when that wasn’t the case yesterday. You may as well face the music because that plan gets you nowhere fast.
Oh, and forget the detox shampoo scheme while you’re at it. Remember? The drug metabolites infuse with your hair.
I’m not an addict anymore if I use a different drug, right?
This question, though.
The hopeful “former” addict put it out there on the world wide web for validation. The young man beefed it up with proclamations of how great his life is now. He only uses the drug in a recreational sense or as a stress reliever. He even stated his new drug of choice was meth! Methamphetamine is a highly addictive drug requiring that the user ups the dosage with each use to experience the feeling to which they are accustomed.
Even other drug users set him straight.
Here’s the straight dope on that, son
Fifty percent of all drug addicts are predisposed to addiction through their DNA. The other fifty percent begin using drugs or alcohol as a coping mechanism. Habit is a hard thing to break free of, especially if your body becomes dependent on the drug (or alcohol). The withdrawal from drug and alcohol abuse becomes torturous.
Addiction is a disease for which there is no cure. However, treatment centers, surrounding yourself with friends and family, and removing yourself from situations where drugs or alcohol are consumed make it possible to live a happy, healthy, drug-free life.
Go for it, man!
Hope springs eternal
This article began with a spin on an old adage. Let’s wind things up with one, too.
“I believe the children are our future.” ~Whitney Houston, The Greatest Love of All
Sadly, we know Whitney’s own life was claimed by drug addiction, but the hope she portrayed in the words of this song is oh, so true. Our children have the potential to make the world change for the better in every aspect.
All in all, it appears they are getting somewhere.
The annual Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey revised by the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) in December 2018 looks quite promising. Students in 8th, 10th, and 12th grades take the survey. Sadly, while vaping is on the rise (second only to alcohol abuse), the use of illicit drugs (other than marijuana) is holding steady at the lowest levels in over two decades.
Kids are recognizing the destruction of drugs and alcohol abuse. It affects every life to some degree. A growing number of young people appear to be saying, “That’s not who I want to be.”
Hallelujah!
Seriously.
