Warning Signs of Substance Abuse (Drugteststrips)

Using illicit substance abuse badly affects the physical and mental health of an individual. In this article, let's take a look at why people get into this habit and what are the warning signs of substance abuse.

Here are some of the common reasons for people getting into substance abuse.

*Social activity: At social gatherings when you are in the company of others who are using illegal substances you get influenced. In such a situation, you are more likely to get tempted to try drugs, because you see every one there does it.

*Peer pressure: Peer pressure is an important factor which is responsible for addiction. Drug users influence non-drug users to try illegal substance to fit in the group.

*Poor family relationships: People who have a poor relationship with family members are likely to feel a sense of low esteem and might use illicit substances to come out of the feeling. If parents are not careful enough in maintaining an affectionate relationship with kids, kids feel isolated and left out. Such kids are likely to use illegal substances.

*To 'feel good': Attracted by the sayings of drug users, that drugs makes them feel good, young people tend to experiment the feel good factor by using illegal substances.

Warning signs of substance abuse:

People under the influence of illicit substances exhibit certain warning signs. They are:

*Change in physical appearance: You can find people abusing substances not groomed as they should be. There is strange smell from clothes, body and breath. The eyes are reddened and pupils are enlarged. They are nervous in speech and movement.

*Change in social behavior: People taking illicit substances tend to stay away from their usual company - school-mates, friends, parents, siblings and others in family. They do not show interest in social or group gatherings.

They feel awkward to mix up with people who are non-drug users. They try to avoid normal people and demand more privacy.

*Fall in performance: There will be a fall in academic performance, increased absenteeism. They won't take part in extra-curricular activities. Same is the case with working personnel. Whether it is a student, or an employee, performance falls drastically because of less ability to concentrate on their routine things.

*Mixing up with suspected drug users: People taking illicit substances do not like to mix with non-drug users. They like the company of drug users.

*Rebelliousness: People abusing illicit substances have a rebellious attitude. They do not go by the rules of workplace, educational institute, etc. They are aggressive, short tempered and pick quarrels with people around.

*Low motivation: Substance abusers have low motivation and are not enthusiastic. They do not focus on studies or job, and feel less energetic for doing any activity.

These symptoms are a serious warning that the person is abusing illicit substances. Parents, employers and educational institutions need to take immediate action by getting the person medically examined and seek further course of action to stop the use of substance abuse.

DrugTestStrips is an online store offering reliable and FDA approved drug test kits at affordable prices. Marijuana drug testing kit from drugteststrips.com is a simple to administer dip-and-read test designed to detect marijuana use in urine.

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Warning Signs of Substance Abuse (Drugteststrips)

Using illicit substance abuse badly affects the physical and mental health of an individual. In this article, let's take a look at why people get into this habit and what are the warning signs of substance abuse.

Here are some of the common reasons for people getting into substance abuse.

*Social activity: At social gatherings when you are in the company of others who are using illegal substances you get influenced. In such a situation, you are more likely to get tempted to try drugs, because you see every one there does it.

*Peer pressure: Peer pressure is an important factor which is responsible for addiction. Drug users influence non-drug users to try illegal substance to fit in the group.

*Poor family relationships: People who have a poor relationship with family members are likely to feel a sense of low esteem and might use illicit substances to come out of the feeling. If parents are not careful enough in maintaining an affectionate relationship with kids, kids feel isolated and left out. Such kids are likely to use illegal substances.

*To 'feel good': Attracted by the sayings of drug users, that drugs makes them feel good, young people tend to experiment the feel good factor by using illegal substances.

Warning signs of substance abuse:

People under the influence of illicit substances exhibit certain warning signs. They are:

*Change in physical appearance: You can find people abusing substances not groomed as they should be. There is strange smell from clothes, body and breath. The eyes are reddened and pupils are enlarged. They are nervous in speech and movement.

*Change in social behavior: People taking illicit substances tend to stay away from their usual company - school-mates, friends, parents, siblings and others in family. They do not show interest in social or group gatherings.

They feel awkward to mix up with people who are non-drug users. They try to avoid normal people and demand more privacy.

*Fall in performance: There will be a fall in academic performance, increased absenteeism. They won't take part in extra-curricular activities. Same is the case with working personnel. Whether it is a student, or an employee, performance falls drastically because of less ability to concentrate on their routine things.

*Mixing up with suspected drug users: People taking illicit substances do not like to mix with non-drug users. They like the company of drug users.

*Rebelliousness: People abusing illicit substances have a rebellious attitude. They do not go by the rules of workplace, educational institute, etc. They are aggressive, short tempered and pick quarrels with people around.

*Low motivation: Substance abusers have low motivation and are not enthusiastic. They do not focus on studies or job, and feel less energetic for doing any activity.

These symptoms are a serious warning that the person is abusing illicit substances. Parents, employers and educational institutions need to take immediate action by getting the person medically examined and seek further course of action to stop the use of substance abuse.

DrugTestStrips is an online store offering reliable and FDA approved drug test kits at affordable prices. Marijuana drug testing kit from drugteststrips.com is a simple to administer dip-and-read test designed to detect marijuana use in urine.

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Know About Benzodiazepine Drug Abuse And Importance Of Testing For It (Drugteststrips)

Drug abuse became a common health concern all across the globe. In spite of many restrictions on the availability of harmful drugs, both illicit and prescription, the number of drug abusers is found increasing. Among the harmful prescription drugs having widespread availability, benzodiazepines are considered as the foremost. Benzodiazepines are highly toxic and are available in numerous forms. Benzodiazepine abuse is proved to be highly hazardous to health. Therefore, it is necessary to be aware of the ill effects of the drug and the importance of early detection of its abuse.

What are Benzodiazepines?
Benzodiazepines, commonly called as 'benzos' are known to be hypnotic drugs and brain tranquilizers. These central nervous system depressants are generally prescribed to treat sleep disorders, anxiety, acute stress reactions, panic attacks and convulsions. This drug is available in many forms with various strengths. Benzodiazepines in any form are found to be highly toxic and addictive, so they should be used only as prescribed.

The main centers of action of Benzodiazepines in the human body are cells of nervous system. Benzodiazepines are involved in the augmentation of a specific neuro transmitter called GABA (gamma - aminobutyric acid). GABA is an inhibitor hormone, which passes from one cell to another transmitting the message to reduce the activity of a particular process. As benzodiazepines increase the activity of these hormones, the overall brain activity is slowed down.

Effects of abuse
Benzodiazepines are found to act on the neural activities of the human body. As these are found to control the activities of nervous system, the person abusing the drug is prone to suffer from mental and personality disorders. It is also found that some symptoms of Benzodiazepine drug abuse are non - specific and may relate to any part of the body. Some of the effects of this drug abuse on the human body are:

Insomnia
Difficulty in breathing
Anxiety
Anorexia
Over sedation (drowsiness, dizziness, blurred vision, weakness, lack of coordination, confusion)
Amnesia
Deep or permanent coma

Apart from the above effects, Benzodiazepine drug abuse is also found to create severe personality disorders such as suicidal tendencies, depression, aggressive behavior which includes violent behavior, physical abuse, assaults, homicides and many anti-social activities at home and at workplace.

The effects of Benzodiazepines does not stop with the above list, more drastic effects are found when taken with other addictive drugs like opiates, hypnotics, anti-depressants, etc. making the individual more tolerant and dependent to other drugs, finally leading to fatality.

Importance of drug testing
Early detection of drug abuse is necessary as it is difficult for an individual to withdraw the drug use after a certain period of time. Some of the symptoms associated with chronic abuse withdrawal are insomnia, gastric troubles, irritability, delirium, tremors and seizures. Apart from these, forceful withdrawal may also develop suicidal tendencies in abuser.

The number and the severity of ill effects of Benzodiazepines on the body are not easy to analyze. Hence, it is on the part of the individual and his companions to go for the early detection of drug through testing. This helps in avoiding the serious consequences associated with the prolonged usage of drug. It is especially necessary to conduct Benzodiazepine drug tests at workplaces and homes to identify drug abusing employees or teens. In many cases drug tests are found to be life savers. Hence, it is necessary to conduct a drug test immediately on identifying the symptoms of drug abuse.

Types of testing
Various types of drug tests are conducted to detect the drug abusers. These drug tests help in identifying the elevated levels of Bezodiazepines and their metabolites in any given sample. The most commonly used samples for conducting Benzodiazepine drug test are saliva, hair and urine. The drug tests can be conducted in laboratories or on-site (home or workplace) by using drug test kits.

Drug tests in laboratories
The drug tests conducted in laboratories are highly accurate. These tests not only detect the presence of Benzodiazepines and their metabolites, but also detect the levels of drug abuse by analyzing the sample. The laboratories can use any sample like saliva, blood, urine or hair for identifying the drug presence.

Drug tests using testing kits
Various drug testing kits are available in the market making it easy for the people to conduct the test at their convenience. Unlike laboratory tests, they can be conducted at any place and at any time. These drug test kits are very useful for employers and for parents for conducting onsite drug tests, in regard with the easy collection of sample. These drug testing kits are inexpensive as well as accurate.

Benzodiazepine drug abuse is found to be chronic drug abuse of all. Creating awareness about the negative effects and the methods to control this drug abuse is the only way to combat this problem. Early rectification of this problem will help in establishing a good society with high values.

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Common Drugs of Abuse - Cut off Concentrations and their Detection Periods (Drugteststrips)

Drug abuse is widespread and is one of the top health concerns in many countries. Drug abuse causes multiple problems to the abuser, his/her family and the immediate society. Physical and mental effects are quite obvious in the drug abuser. Drug abusers cannot function as normal citizens of the society. They neglect their families, become poor socially and economically and may also involve in crimes. It is very important to detect the drug abusers using drug tests to make them stay away from harmful drugs. Here we will look at some of the common drugs of abuse, their detection periods and cut-off concentrations in different drug testing samples.

Common Drugs of Abuse
National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) recently stated that about 22 million Americans were abusing illicit drugs in 2009. Some of the commonly used illicit and prescribed drugs are Marijuana, Methamphetamine, Phencyclidine (PCP), Cocaine and Opiates.

Marijuana
Marijuana is the most commonly abused drug in America with almost 16.7 million users. Marijuana is a psychoactive drug. The immediate effects of marijuana include relaxation, euphoria, and hallucinations. However, marijuana addiction leads to problems such as short-term memory impairment, red conjunctiva, and increased heart rate and blood pressure.

Methamphetamine
There were more than 500,000 methamphetamine users in America in 2009. Methamphetamine is also a stimulant that causes euphoria, mood elevation, and appetite suppression. High doses of the drug lead to restlessness, anxiety, irritability, tremors, and paranoia. It may also result in fixed and dilated pupils, and heart and brain dysfunction.

Phencyclidine (PCP):
Around 45,000 people started using Phencyclidine in 2009. PCP, a "dissociative" drug, stimulates central nervous system. Short-term effects of PCP addiction are drowsiness, lethargy, and disorganized thoughts. PCP abuse causes visual, tactile, and auditory misperceptions; slurred speech; and sweating. Severe psychological effects are seen among PCP drug abusers.

Cocaine:
There were 1.6 million Cocaine users in United States in 2009. Cocaine is a powerful nervous system stimulant. Cocaine enhances euphoria, alertness, energy and motor activity. High dosage cocaine abuse leads to convulsions, tremors and increased body temperature. Drug tests for cocaine detection check for presence of Benzoylecgonine which is the main metabolite of the drug.

Opiates:
Opiates including morphine, codeine, and heroin are derivatives of opium. High dosage of opium consumption causes depression of central nervous system leading to dizziness, lethargy, and drowsiness. Liver diseases, respiratory depression, and spontaneous abortion are caused by long-term use of opiates. Morphine and Morphine Glucuronides are the metabolites of opiates that are detected in drug tests.

Drug detection
Urine, saliva, and hair are the common samples taken to perform a drug test in order to detect the elevate levels of the above mentioned drugs. Detection period and cut-off concentrations of various drugs vary based on the type of test. The drug cut off concentration level is defined as the minimum level of drug or metabolite concentration in the specimen, which can be considered as a positive result. Amount of drugs that can be detected is based on several factors such as drug detection time, frequency of use, metabolism, specimen type, methods of drug testing, and others.

Urine Tests
Most of the illicit drug abusers are commonly tested by using urine tests. Urine drug test kits are available in the market for on-site tests or laboratory analysis. Urine drug tests are least expensive compared to all other types.

The cut off level for marijuana in urine is 50 ng/ml and can be detected between 2 to 4 days of consumption. Habitual marijuana use can be detected up to 30 days in urine. Cut off level for methamphetamine is 1000 ng/ml and can be detected between 3 to 5 days. PCP 25 ng/ml and detection period is 3 to 7 days. Cocaine 150 ng/ml and can be detected between 4 to 5 days. The cut-off level for opiates earlier was 300ng/ml. However, in order to reduce possibility of false positives, it is increased to 2000ng/ml. Opiates such as heroin, codeine or morphine can be detected for 2-4 days.

Hair Drug Tests:
Hair drug tests are accurate and can detect any type of drugs for 90 days. A hair sample of 1.5 inches of length is enough to conduct hair drug tests.
The cut off concentrations of common drugs of abuse using hair drug tests are: Cocaine (Benzoylecgonine) - 0.5 ng/mg, Amphetamines (Amphetamine) - 0.5 ng/mg, Marijuana - 0.005 ng/mg, Opiates (Morphine) - 0.2 ng/mg, Phencyclidine (Phencyclidine) - 0.3 ng/mg.

Saliva Drug Tests:
More recent drug use can be detected by saliva drug tests. These are more expensive than urine tests and less expensive than hair tests. They are easy to use and the chances of adulteration are very less. Detection period of saliva tests is not known for some drugs. However, methamphetamine and PCP can be detected for 1-3 days.

The cutoff concentrations for the above mentioned drugs using saliva tests are Cocaine - 20 ng/ml, Amphetamines (d-Amphetamine) - 50 ng/ml, Marijuana (THC-COOH) - 12 ng/ml, Opiates (Morphine) - 40 ng/ml, Phencyclidine (Phencyclidine) - 10 ng/ml.

Whatever the test may be, the cut-off concentration is a crucial parameter to detect the presence of drugs in order to provide accurate results.

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How to Turn Away from Substance Abuse (Drugteststrips)

Staying away from drugs is the most challenging task ever. It calls for a great deal of determination to prevent any sort of substance abuse. It is neither achieved in one day nor through a single process. Staying away from substance abuse needs consideration of various factors which include mental, physical and environmental factors. Good understanding of these factors is very crucial as it helps in taking away this problem right from its roots. Let us understand in detail about the things to be followed to stay away from drug abuse.

Understand how it develops
The very first step to keep yourself away from substance abuse is to be aware of "how actually one develops this habit". This habit in most of the cases is unconsciously developed. By the time a person realizes that he is addicted to a drug, the damage is already done. And this damage is entirely irrevocable. Hence, it is wise on part of an individual to be proactive and understand the actual cause of this problem and prevent the habit before it develops. The basic reasons for getting into drug addiction include mental illness, work pressure, depression, bad company, temptation, etc.

Avoid temptations and peer pressure
This is the major cause for drug addiction, as temptation and peer pressure are very hard to overcome. These are the probable motivators for substance abuse for any individual. Drugs make the individual habituated to them. This tunes the mind of the drug abuser towards it and the temptation to abuse it regularly starts immediately.

Another aspect that affects drug abuse is peer pressure. This is very common among teens. Most teens, even adult drug abusers provoke others to abuse drugs. They tend to tease the persons who refuse to abuse, which makes the non-abusers to take up drugs in order to fit into the crowd. It is very hard to overcome peer pressure, it needs great courage to say 'NO' and stand by your own principles.

Stay away from substance abuse hangouts
One of the best ways to turn away from drug abuse is to stay from the substance abuse hangouts. They are the potential starters for drug abuse in a society. These places encourage temptation and peer pressure will be high. Avoiding these hangouts will be of great help in preventing and overcoming the drug abuse. Especially, it is very much useful in cases of out-of-city parties or rave parties.

Practice healthier living habits
The most positive way of turning away from substance abuse is to practice healthier lifestyle. Healthy living ensures good habits, mental strength, good health and most importantly averts the negative influence. Being a part of social activities, being in a good company, exercising physically and mentally, and good diet is a part of healthy lifestyle. Healthier lifestyle imparts positive energy and increase confidence to overcome any kind of wrong temptations.

Keep a balanced life
The main reason for developing drug addiction is lack of mental strength. An individual most often succumbs to pressures associated with life and work. These pressures result in imbalances leading to addiction of drugs. One of the best possible ways to ensure a well-balanced life is to be in a good company. This enhances the positive outlook on life which leads to good mental health. Hence, for a good living one needs to balance all the phases of his/her life well, which results in ultimate happiness, thus depriving from the negative habits.

Staying away from drug abuse may sound impossible, but nothing is impossible before strong determination and will power. All the above points provide a clear understanding on how to deal with the problem of substance abuse. Hence, by concentrating on these aspects, one can lead a healthy and happier life.

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How to Turn Away from Substance Abuse (Drugteststrips)

Staying away from drugs is the most challenging task ever. It calls for a great deal of determination to prevent any sort of substance abuse. It is neither achieved in one day nor through a single process. Staying away from substance abuse needs consideration of various factors which include mental, physical and environmental factors. Good understanding of these factors is very crucial as it helps in taking away this problem right from its roots. Let us understand in detail about the things to be followed to stay away from drug abuse.

Understand how it develops
The very first step to keep yourself away from substance abuse is to be aware of "how actually one develops this habit". This habit in most of the cases is unconsciously developed. By the time a person realizes that he is addicted to a drug, the damage is already done. And this damage is entirely irrevocable. Hence, it is wise on part of an individual to be proactive and understand the actual cause of this problem and prevent the habit before it develops. The basic reasons for getting into drug addiction include mental illness, work pressure, depression, bad company, temptation, etc.

Avoid temptations and peer pressure
This is the major cause for drug addiction, as temptation and peer pressure are very hard to overcome. These are the probable motivators for substance abuse for any individual. Drugs make the individual habituated to them. This tunes the mind of the drug abuser towards it and the temptation to abuse it regularly starts immediately.

Another aspect that affects drug abuse is peer pressure. This is very common among teens. Most teens, even adult drug abusers provoke others to abuse drugs. They tend to tease the persons who refuse to abuse, which makes the non-abusers to take up drugs in order to fit into the crowd. It is very hard to overcome peer pressure, it needs great courage to say 'NO' and stand by your own principles.

Stay away from substance abuse hangouts
One of the best ways to turn away from drug abuse is to stay from the substance abuse hangouts. They are the potential starters for drug abuse in a society. These places encourage temptation and peer pressure will be high. Avoiding these hangouts will be of great help in preventing and overcoming the drug abuse. Especially, it is very much useful in cases of out-of-city parties or rave parties.

Practice healthier living habits
The most positive way of turning away from substance abuse is to practice healthier lifestyle. Healthy living ensures good habits, mental strength, good health and most importantly averts the negative influence. Being a part of social activities, being in a good company, exercising physically and mentally, and good diet is a part of healthy lifestyle. Healthier lifestyle imparts positive energy and increase confidence to overcome any kind of wrong temptations.

Keep a balanced life
The main reason for developing drug addiction is lack of mental strength. An individual most often succumbs to pressures associated with life and work. These pressures result in imbalances leading to addiction of drugs. One of the best possible ways to ensure a well-balanced life is to be in a good company. This enhances the positive outlook on life which leads to good mental health. Hence, for a good living one needs to balance all the phases of his/her life well, which results in ultimate happiness, thus depriving from the negative habits.

Staying away from drug abuse may sound impossible, but nothing is impossible before strong determination and will power. All the above points provide a clear understanding on how to deal with the problem of substance abuse. Hence, by concentrating on these aspects, one can lead a healthy and happier life.

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Know About Benzodiazepine Drug Abuse And Importance Of Testing For It (Drugteststrips)

Drug abuse became a common health concern all across the globe. In spite of many restrictions on the availability of harmful drugs, both illicit and prescription, the number of drug abusers is found increasing. Among the harmful prescription drugs having widespread availability, benzodiazepines are considered as the foremost. Benzodiazepines are highly toxic and are available in numerous forms. Benzodiazepine abuse is proved to be highly hazardous to health. Therefore, it is necessary to be aware of the ill effects of the drug and the importance of early detection of its abuse.

What are Benzodiazepines?
Benzodiazepines, commonly called as 'benzos' are known to be hypnotic drugs and brain tranquilizers. These central nervous system depressants are generally prescribed to treat sleep disorders, anxiety, acute stress reactions, panic attacks and convulsions. This drug is available in many forms with various strengths. Benzodiazepines in any form are found to be highly toxic and addictive, so they should be used only as prescribed.

The main centers of action of Benzodiazepines in the human body are cells of nervous system. Benzodiazepines are involved in the augmentation of a specific neuro transmitter called GABA (gamma - aminobutyric acid). GABA is an inhibitor hormone, which passes from one cell to another transmitting the message to reduce the activity of a particular process. As benzodiazepines increase the activity of these hormones, the overall brain activity is slowed down.

Effects of abuse
Benzodiazepines are found to act on the neural activities of the human body. As these are found to control the activities of nervous system, the person abusing the drug is prone to suffer from mental and personality disorders. It is also found that some symptoms of Benzodiazepine drug abuse are non - specific and may relate to any part of the body. Some of the effects of this drug abuse on the human body are:

Insomnia
Difficulty in breathing
Anxiety
Anorexia
Over sedation (drowsiness, dizziness, blurred vision, weakness, lack of coordination, confusion)
Amnesia
Deep or permanent coma

Apart from the above effects, Benzodiazepine drug abuse is also found to create severe personality disorders such as suicidal tendencies, depression, aggressive behavior which includes violent behavior, physical abuse, assaults, homicides and many anti-social activities at home and at workplace.

The effects of Benzodiazepines does not stop with the above list, more drastic effects are found when taken with other addictive drugs like opiates, hypnotics, anti-depressants, etc. making the individual more tolerant and dependent to other drugs, finally leading to fatality.

Importance of drug testing
Early detection of drug abuse is necessary as it is difficult for an individual to withdraw the drug use after a certain period of time. Some of the symptoms associated with chronic abuse withdrawal are insomnia, gastric troubles, irritability, delirium, tremors and seizures. Apart from these, forceful withdrawal may also develop suicidal tendencies in abuser.

The number and the severity of ill effects of Benzodiazepines on the body are not easy to analyze. Hence, it is on the part of the individual and his companions to go for the early detection of drug through testing. This helps in avoiding the serious consequences associated with the prolonged usage of drug. It is especially necessary to conduct Benzodiazepine drug tests at workplaces and homes to identify drug abusing employees or teens. In many cases drug tests are found to be life savers. Hence, it is necessary to conduct a drug test immediately on identifying the symptoms of drug abuse.

Types of testing
Various types of drug tests are conducted to detect the drug abusers. These drug tests help in identifying the elevated levels of Bezodiazepines and their metabolites in any given sample. The most commonly used samples for conducting Benzodiazepine drug test are saliva, hair and urine. The drug tests can be conducted in laboratories or on-site (home or workplace) by using drug test kits.

Drug tests in laboratories
The drug tests conducted in laboratories are highly accurate. These tests not only detect the presence of Benzodiazepines and their metabolites, but also detect the levels of drug abuse by analyzing the sample. The laboratories can use any sample like saliva, blood, urine or hair for identifying the drug presence.

Drug tests using testing kits
Various drug testing kits are available in the market making it easy for the people to conduct the test at their convenience. Unlike laboratory tests, they can be conducted at any place and at any time. These drug test kits are very useful for employers and for parents for conducting onsite drug tests, in regard with the easy collection of sample. These drug testing kits are inexpensive as well as accurate.

Benzodiazepine drug abuse is found to be chronic drug abuse of all. Creating awareness about the negative effects and the methods to control this drug abuse is the only way to combat this problem. Early rectification of this problem will help in establishing a good society with high values.

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Common Drugs of Abuse - Cut off Concentrations and their Detection Periods (Drugteststrips)

Drug abuse is widespread and is one of the top health concerns in many countries. Drug abuse causes multiple problems to the abuser, his/her family and the immediate society. Physical and mental effects are quite obvious in the drug abuser. Drug abusers cannot function as normal citizens of the society. They neglect their families, become poor socially and economically and may also involve in crimes. It is very important to detect the drug abusers using drug tests to make them stay away from harmful drugs. Here we will look at some of the common drugs of abuse, their detection periods and cut-off concentrations in different drug testing samples.

Common Drugs of Abuse
National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) recently stated that about 22 million Americans were abusing illicit drugs in 2009. Some of the commonly used illicit and prescribed drugs are Marijuana, Methamphetamine, Phencyclidine (PCP), Cocaine and Opiates.

Marijuana
Marijuana is the most commonly abused drug in America with almost 16.7 million users. Marijuana is a psychoactive drug. The immediate effects of marijuana include relaxation, euphoria, and hallucinations. However, marijuana addiction leads to problems such as short-term memory impairment, red conjunctiva, and increased heart rate and blood pressure.

Methamphetamine
There were more than 500,000 methamphetamine users in America in 2009. Methamphetamine is also a stimulant that causes euphoria, mood elevation, and appetite suppression. High doses of the drug lead to restlessness, anxiety, irritability, tremors, and paranoia. It may also result in fixed and dilated pupils, and heart and brain dysfunction.

Phencyclidine (PCP):
Around 45,000 people started using Phencyclidine in 2009. PCP, a "dissociative" drug, stimulates central nervous system. Short-term effects of PCP addiction are drowsiness, lethargy, and disorganized thoughts. PCP abuse causes visual, tactile, and auditory misperceptions; slurred speech; and sweating. Severe psychological effects are seen among PCP drug abusers.

Cocaine:
There were 1.6 million Cocaine users in United States in 2009. Cocaine is a powerful nervous system stimulant. Cocaine enhances euphoria, alertness, energy and motor activity. High dosage cocaine abuse leads to convulsions, tremors and increased body temperature. Drug tests for cocaine detection check for presence of Benzoylecgonine which is the main metabolite of the drug.

Opiates:
Opiates including morphine, codeine, and heroin are derivatives of opium. High dosage of opium consumption causes depression of central nervous system leading to dizziness, lethargy, and drowsiness. Liver diseases, respiratory depression, and spontaneous abortion are caused by long-term use of opiates. Morphine and Morphine Glucuronides are the metabolites of opiates that are detected in drug tests.

Drug detection
Urine, saliva, and hair are the common samples taken to perform a drug test in order to detect the elevate levels of the above mentioned drugs. Detection period and cut-off concentrations of various drugs vary based on the type of test. The drug cut off concentration level is defined as the minimum level of drug or metabolite concentration in the specimen, which can be considered as a positive result. Amount of drugs that can be detected is based on several factors such as drug detection time, frequency of use, metabolism, specimen type, methods of drug testing, and others.

Urine Tests
Most of the illicit drug abusers are commonly tested by using urine tests. Urine drug test kits are available in the market for on-site tests or laboratory analysis. Urine drug tests are least expensive compared to all other types.

The cut off level for marijuana in urine is 50 ng/ml and can be detected between 2 to 4 days of consumption. Habitual marijuana use can be detected up to 30 days in urine. Cut off level for methamphetamine is 1000 ng/ml and can be detected between 3 to 5 days. PCP 25 ng/ml and detection period is 3 to 7 days. Cocaine 150 ng/ml and can be detected between 4 to 5 days. The cut-off level for opiates earlier was 300ng/ml. However, in order to reduce possibility of false positives, it is increased to 2000ng/ml. Opiates such as heroin, codeine or morphine can be detected for 2-4 days.

Hair Drug Tests:
Hair drug tests are accurate and can detect any type of drugs for 90 days. A hair sample of 1.5 inches of length is enough to conduct hair drug tests.
The cut off concentrations of common drugs of abuse using hair drug tests are: Cocaine (Benzoylecgonine) - 0.5 ng/mg, Amphetamines (Amphetamine) - 0.5 ng/mg, Marijuana - 0.005 ng/mg, Opiates (Morphine) - 0.2 ng/mg, Phencyclidine (Phencyclidine) - 0.3 ng/mg.

Saliva Drug Tests:
More recent drug use can be detected by saliva drug tests. These are more expensive than urine tests and less expensive than hair tests. They are easy to use and the chances of adulteration are very less. Detection period of saliva tests is not known for some drugs. However, methamphetamine and PCP can be detected for 1-3 days.

The cutoff concentrations for the above mentioned drugs using saliva tests are Cocaine - 20 ng/ml, Amphetamines (d-Amphetamine) - 50 ng/ml, Marijuana (THC-COOH) - 12 ng/ml, Opiates (Morphine) - 40 ng/ml, Phencyclidine (Phencyclidine) - 10 ng/ml.

Whatever the test may be, the cut-off concentration is a crucial parameter to detect the presence of drugs in order to provide accurate results.

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Amphetamines- The Effects of Its Abuse (Drugteststrips)

Amphetamine is the collective term for several substances including amphetamine sulphate, laevoamphetamine (Benzedrine), dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine), and methamphetamine (Methedrine). Amphetamines are produced from a colorless oil base which is insoluble in water. The most common form of usage is powder that may be made into capsules or tablets. Amphetamine is often mixed with adulterants such as sugar, glucose or ephedrine.

Effects of Usage
Amphetamines can be injected, snorted, smoked or taken orally. Amphetamines are psycho-stimulants and their primary effect is to speed up the activity of the brain and nervous system. The user's heart and breathing rate increases and they may experience tremendous energy, alertness and confidence. The abuser suffers from low appetite but become excited and more talkative.

Effects of short-term amphetamine use include:
* Increased heart rate
* Increased blood pressure
* Reduced appetite
* Dilation of the pupils
* Feelings of happiness and power
* Reduced fatigue

Long term amphetamine use can result in:
* Insomnia, restlessness
* "Paranoid psychosis"
* Hallucinations
* Violent and aggressive behavior
* Weight loss
* Tremors

The less sought after effects include heart palpitations, nervousness and tetchiness. At higher doses, amphetamine can cause irregular heartbeat, headaches, faintness and panic attacks. Long term, heavy usage can lead to insomnia and psychological and emotional problems such as depression, obsession and extreme fierceness can develop. In some cases, abusers will experience amphetamine psychosis - a psychological state, similar to schizophrenia - accompanied by paranoid hallucinations.

Amphetamine Effects on the Nervous System
Amphetamines stimulate the central nervous system and sympathetic division of the peripheral nervous system. Amphetamines mainly increase the synaptic activity of the dopamine and nor-epinephrine neurotransmitter systems. Amphetamines can:
1. Cause the release of dopamine from axon terminals.
2. Block dopamine reuptake.
3. Inhibit the storage of dopamine in vesicles.
4. Inhibit the destruction of dopamine by enzymes.

All of these actions result in more dopamine in the synaptic cleft where it can act on receptors.

Withdrawal Symptoms
Many of the effects of amphetamines are similar to cocaine. Amphetamine withdrawal is characterized by severe depression and weariness. Users will go to extreme measures to avoid the withdrawal symptoms that emerge when the effect of amphetamines start wearing off. Amphetamine use also causes tolerance to its effects that means, more and more amphetamine must be used further to get the desired effect.

The above information gives you an insight into the effects caused by the abuse of Amphetamines, which helps you in keeping away yourself and your dear ones from abusing drugs like Amphetamines.

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Know About the Different Stages of Substance Abuse (Drugteststrips)

Substance abuse is a pattern of harmful usage of any substance to get mood-alterations. It includes both illegal substances like Marijuana, Cocaine, Opioids etc., and abuse of legal drugs like alcohol and tobacco. Substance abuse also includes misuse of prescription medications which have sedative, analgesic or stimulant properties. Depending on the substance of abuse, it will lead to health problems, social problems, financial problems, injuries, violence, accidents, suicides, physical dependence or mental addiction. Despite of numerous negative effects, many people are getting addicted to substance use.

According to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) 2008 report, 20.1 million Americans aged 12 or more were illicit drug abusers representing eight percent of the population. The report also stated that 51.6 percent of Americans were currently alcohol drinkers -which represents more than half the Americans aged 12 or more and around 70.9 million Americans aged 12 or more were current tobacco users. These statistics clearly state that many people are suffering from substance abuse, which is considered a disease these days. This disease has different stages which are described as follows.

Stages
There are five different stages of substance abuse. They are experimentation, regular use, risky use, dependence, and addiction.

Experimentation
Many of the abusers start taking a substance without knowing the future effects of it. Experimentation generally starts at a very early age when they are young. People start experimenting with a substance because of peer pressure, stress or by watching others doing it. It might also start because of marital conflicts or work pressure. The users feel resolution of their problem and start using it regularly. Few of them probably may stop using on their own but few of them get into the next stage.

Regular use
After experimentation, they get into regular use. They start feeling that substance or drug use is the answer to their problems. In this stage, they start deciding on when to take the substance or drug, say, before bed or on weekends. Their want for the substance increases before the decided or planned time. They start being dishonest with their friends and family members depending on amount of usage. Then slowly, they tend to increase the use of the substance. Some people in this stage can also stop using the substance based on his/her personal effort. Or else, the person will get into risky use.

Risky use
The transformation from regular to risky will be totally dependent on the individual, and it differs from one individual to another. In this stage, the person will have negative consequences like not caring relationships with friends, family and spouse. These negative consequences start hindering the daily activities. The heavy users start feeling that they cannot sustain on seeing the drug and start craving for it. They get involved in crimes such as stealing or cheating for getting money to purchase the substance. If this actions are left unchecked, the person will slip into next stage. People easily and unknowingly pass from risky use to dependence stage.

Dependence
There is just a thin gap between risky use and dependence. People will be preoccupied with use and development of tolerance. In this stage, people will have a strong urge to use the drugto stop the illnesses like nausea, headache, body pains etc. In this stage, they fail to fulfill family, school, college or work responsibilities. There will be increase in dangerous and risk-taking drug-related behaviors. They start committing serious crimes to get the abusing substance. This, finally, leads to addiction.

Addiction
This is the last stage of substance abuse. This involves serious psychological and physical changes because of heavy intake of the substance abuse. The symptoms of addiction include irresistible craving or seeking substance of abuse. The person will be emotionally and physically dependent on drug. The severity of drug abuse depends on the personality of the addict. In this stage, there is a great possibility of substance overdose which would result in death or serious damage. If a person is not treated at this stage, it will get much worse. Once a person is brought out of addiction through treatment there are many chances of relapse.

Substance abuse is a complex problem which may result because of combination of hereditary, psychological and environmental factors. It is important for everyone to avoid substance use. Even one use can lead to addiction. If treated in early stages, there are better chances of recovery with less effort and spending. There will also be less chances of relapse when treated in early stages.

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Know About Benzodiazepine Drug Abuse And Importance Of Testing For It (Drugteststrips)

Drug abuse became a common health concern all across the globe. In spite of many restrictions on the availability of harmful drugs, both illicit and prescription, the number of drug abusers is found increasing. Among the harmful prescription drugs having widespread availability, benzodiazepines are considered as the foremost. Benzodiazepines are highly toxic and are available in numerous forms. Benzodiazepine abuse is proved to be highly hazardous to health. Therefore, it is necessary to be aware of the ill effects of the drug and the importance of early detection of its abuse.

What are Benzodiazepines?
Benzodiazepines, commonly called as 'benzos' are known to be hypnotic drugs and brain tranquilizers. These central nervous system depressants are generally prescribed to treat sleep disorders, anxiety, acute stress reactions, panic attacks and convulsions. This drug is available in many forms with various strengths. Benzodiazepines in any form are found to be highly toxic and addictive, so they should be used only as prescribed.

The main centers of action of Benzodiazepines in the human body are cells of nervous system. Benzodiazepines are involved in the augmentation of a specific neuro transmitter called GABA (gamma - aminobutyric acid). GABA is an inhibitor hormone, which passes from one cell to another transmitting the message to reduce the activity of a particular process. As benzodiazepines increase the activity of these hormones, the overall brain activity is slowed down.

Effects of abuse
Benzodiazepines are found to act on the neural activities of the human body. As these are found to control the activities of nervous system, the person abusing the drug is prone to suffer from mental and personality disorders. It is also found that some symptoms of Benzodiazepine drug abuse are non - specific and may relate to any part of the body. Some of the effects of this drug abuse on the human body are:

Insomnia
Difficulty in breathing
Anxiety
Anorexia
Over sedation (drowsiness, dizziness, blurred vision, weakness, lack of coordination, confusion)
Amnesia
Deep or permanent coma

Apart from the above effects, Benzodiazepine drug abuse is also found to create severe personality disorders such as suicidal tendencies, depression, aggressive behavior which includes violent behavior, physical abuse, assaults, homicides and many anti-social activities at home and at workplace.

The effects of Benzodiazepines does not stop with the above list, more drastic effects are found when taken with other addictive drugs like opiates, hypnotics, anti-depressants, etc. making the individual more tolerant and dependent to other drugs, finally leading to fatality.

Importance of drug testing
Early detection of drug abuse is necessary as it is difficult for an individual to withdraw the drug use after a certain period of time. Some of the symptoms associated with chronic abuse withdrawal are insomnia, gastric troubles, irritability, delirium, tremors and seizures. Apart from these, forceful withdrawal may also develop suicidal tendencies in abuser.

The number and the severity of ill effects of Benzodiazepines on the body are not easy to analyze. Hence, it is on the part of the individual and his companions to go for the early detection of drug through testing. This helps in avoiding the serious consequences associated with the prolonged usage of drug. It is especially necessary to conduct Benzodiazepine drug tests at workplaces and homes to identify drug abusing employees or teens. In many cases drug tests are found to be life savers. Hence, it is necessary to conduct a drug test immediately on identifying the symptoms of drug abuse.

Types of testing
Various types of drug tests are conducted to detect the drug abusers. These drug tests help in identifying the elevated levels of Bezodiazepines and their metabolites in any given sample. The most commonly used samples for conducting Benzodiazepine drug test are saliva, hair and urine. The drug tests can be conducted in laboratories or on-site (home or workplace) by using drug test kits.

Drug tests in laboratories
The drug tests conducted in laboratories are highly accurate. These tests not only detect the presence of Benzodiazepines and their metabolites, but also detect the levels of drug abuse by analyzing the sample. The laboratories can use any sample like saliva, blood, urine or hair for identifying the drug presence.

Drug tests using testing kits
Various drug testing kits are available in the market making it easy for the people to conduct the test at their convenience. Unlike laboratory tests, they can be conducted at any place and at any time. These drug test kits are very useful for employers and for parents for conducting onsite drug tests, in regard with the easy collection of sample. These drug testing kits are inexpensive as well as accurate.

Benzodiazepine drug abuse is found to be chronic drug abuse of all. Creating awareness about the negative effects and the methods to control this drug abuse is the only way to combat this problem. Early rectification of this problem will help in establishing a good society with high values.

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Common Drugs of Abuse - Cut off Concentrations and their Detection Periods (Drugteststrips)

Drug abuse is widespread and is one of the top health concerns in many countries. Drug abuse causes multiple problems to the abuser, his/her family and the immediate society. Physical and mental effects are quite obvious in the drug abuser. Drug abusers cannot function as normal citizens of the society. They neglect their families, become poor socially and economically and may also involve in crimes. It is very important to detect the drug abusers using drug tests to make them stay away from harmful drugs. Here we will look at some of the common drugs of abuse, their detection periods and cut-off concentrations in different drug testing samples.

Common Drugs of Abuse
National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) recently stated that about 22 million Americans were abusing illicit drugs in 2009. Some of the commonly used illicit and prescribed drugs are Marijuana, Methamphetamine, Phencyclidine (PCP), Cocaine and Opiates.

Marijuana
Marijuana is the most commonly abused drug in America with almost 16.7 million users. Marijuana is a psychoactive drug. The immediate effects of marijuana include relaxation, euphoria, and hallucinations. However, marijuana addiction leads to problems such as short-term memory impairment, red conjunctiva, and increased heart rate and blood pressure.

Methamphetamine
There were more than 500,000 methamphetamine users in America in 2009. Methamphetamine is also a stimulant that causes euphoria, mood elevation, and appetite suppression. High doses of the drug lead to restlessness, anxiety, irritability, tremors, and paranoia. It may also result in fixed and dilated pupils, and heart and brain dysfunction.

Phencyclidine (PCP):
Around 45,000 people started using Phencyclidine in 2009. PCP, a "dissociative" drug, stimulates central nervous system. Short-term effects of PCP addiction are drowsiness, lethargy, and disorganized thoughts. PCP abuse causes visual, tactile, and auditory misperceptions; slurred speech; and sweating. Severe psychological effects are seen among PCP drug abusers.

Cocaine:
There were 1.6 million Cocaine users in United States in 2009. Cocaine is a powerful nervous system stimulant. Cocaine enhances euphoria, alertness, energy and motor activity. High dosage cocaine abuse leads to convulsions, tremors and increased body temperature. Drug tests for cocaine detection check for presence of Benzoylecgonine which is the main metabolite of the drug.

Opiates:
Opiates including morphine, codeine, and heroin are derivatives of opium. High dosage of opium consumption causes depression of central nervous system leading to dizziness, lethargy, and drowsiness. Liver diseases, respiratory depression, and spontaneous abortion are caused by long-term use of opiates. Morphine and Morphine Glucuronides are the metabolites of opiates that are detected in drug tests.

Drug detection
Urine, saliva, and hair are the common samples taken to perform a drug test in order to detect the elevate levels of the above mentioned drugs. Detection period and cut-off concentrations of various drugs vary based on the type of test. The drug cut off concentration level is defined as the minimum level of drug or metabolite concentration in the specimen, which can be considered as a positive result. Amount of drugs that can be detected is based on several factors such as drug detection time, frequency of use, metabolism, specimen type, methods of drug testing, and others.

Urine Tests
Most of the illicit drug abusers are commonly tested by using urine tests. Urine drug test kits are available in the market for on-site tests or laboratory analysis. Urine drug tests are least expensive compared to all other types.

The cut off level for marijuana in urine is 50 ng/ml and can be detected between 2 to 4 days of consumption. Habitual marijuana use can be detected up to 30 days in urine. Cut off level for methamphetamine is 1000 ng/ml and can be detected between 3 to 5 days. PCP 25 ng/ml and detection period is 3 to 7 days. Cocaine 150 ng/ml and can be detected between 4 to 5 days. The cut-off level for opiates earlier was 300ng/ml. However, in order to reduce possibility of false positives, it is increased to 2000ng/ml. Opiates such as heroin, codeine or morphine can be detected for 2-4 days.

Hair Drug Tests:
Hair drug tests are accurate and can detect any type of drugs for 90 days. A hair sample of 1.5 inches of length is enough to conduct hair drug tests.
The cut off concentrations of common drugs of abuse using hair drug tests are: Cocaine (Benzoylecgonine) - 0.5 ng/mg, Amphetamines (Amphetamine) - 0.5 ng/mg, Marijuana - 0.005 ng/mg, Opiates (Morphine) - 0.2 ng/mg, Phencyclidine (Phencyclidine) - 0.3 ng/mg.

Saliva Drug Tests:
More recent drug use can be detected by saliva drug tests. These are more expensive than urine tests and less expensive than hair tests. They are easy to use and the chances of adulteration are very less. Detection period of saliva tests is not known for some drugs. However, methamphetamine and PCP can be detected for 1-3 days.

The cutoff concentrations for the above mentioned drugs using saliva tests are Cocaine - 20 ng/ml, Amphetamines (d-Amphetamine) - 50 ng/ml, Marijuana (THC-COOH) - 12 ng/ml, Opiates (Morphine) - 40 ng/ml, Phencyclidine (Phencyclidine) - 10 ng/ml.

Whatever the test may be, the cut-off concentration is a crucial parameter to detect the presence of drugs in order to provide accurate results.

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How to Turn Away from Substance Abuse (Drugteststrips)

Staying away from drugs is the most challenging task ever. It calls for a great deal of determination to prevent any sort of substance abuse. It is neither achieved in one day nor through a single process. Staying away from substance abuse needs consideration of various factors which include mental, physical and environmental factors. Good understanding of these factors is very crucial as it helps in taking away this problem right from its roots. Let us understand in detail about the things to be followed to stay away from drug abuse.

Understand how it develops
The very first step to keep yourself away from substance abuse is to be aware of "how actually one develops this habit". This habit in most of the cases is unconsciously developed. By the time a person realizes that he is addicted to a drug, the damage is already done. And this damage is entirely irrevocable. Hence, it is wise on part of an individual to be proactive and understand the actual cause of this problem and prevent the habit before it develops. The basic reasons for getting into drug addiction include mental illness, work pressure, depression, bad company, temptation, etc.

Avoid temptations and peer pressure
This is the major cause for drug addiction, as temptation and peer pressure are very hard to overcome. These are the probable motivators for substance abuse for any individual. Drugs make the individual habituated to them. This tunes the mind of the drug abuser towards it and the temptation to abuse it regularly starts immediately.

Another aspect that affects drug abuse is peer pressure. This is very common among teens. Most teens, even adult drug abusers provoke others to abuse drugs. They tend to tease the persons who refuse to abuse, which makes the non-abusers to take up drugs in order to fit into the crowd. It is very hard to overcome peer pressure, it needs great courage to say 'NO' and stand by your own principles.

Stay away from substance abuse hangouts
One of the best ways to turn away from drug abuse is to stay from the substance abuse hangouts. They are the potential starters for drug abuse in a society. These places encourage temptation and peer pressure will be high. Avoiding these hangouts will be of great help in preventing and overcoming the drug abuse. Especially, it is very much useful in cases of out-of-city parties or rave parties.

Practice healthier living habits
The most positive way of turning away from substance abuse is to practice healthier lifestyle. Healthy living ensures good habits, mental strength, good health and most importantly averts the negative influence. Being a part of social activities, being in a good company, exercising physically and mentally, and good diet is a part of healthy lifestyle. Healthier lifestyle imparts positive energy and increase confidence to overcome any kind of wrong temptations.

Keep a balanced life
The main reason for developing drug addiction is lack of mental strength. An individual most often succumbs to pressures associated with life and work. These pressures result in imbalances leading to addiction of drugs. One of the best possible ways to ensure a well-balanced life is to be in a good company. This enhances the positive outlook on life which leads to good mental health. Hence, for a good living one needs to balance all the phases of his/her life well, which results in ultimate happiness, thus depriving from the negative habits.

Staying away from drug abuse may sound impossible, but nothing is impossible before strong determination and will power. All the above points provide a clear understanding on how to deal with the problem of substance abuse. Hence, by concentrating on these aspects, one can lead a healthy and happier life.

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Know About the Different Stages of Substance Abuse (Drugteststrips)

Substance abuse is a pattern of harmful usage of any substance to get mood-alterations. It includes both illegal substances like Marijuana, Cocaine, Opioids etc., and abuse of legal drugs like alcohol and tobacco. Substance abuse also includes misuse of prescription medications which have sedative, analgesic or stimulant properties. Depending on the substance of abuse, it will lead to health problems, social problems, financial problems, injuries, violence, accidents, suicides, physical dependence or mental addiction. Despite of numerous negative effects, many people are getting addicted to substance use.

According to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) 2008 report, 20.1 million Americans aged 12 or more were illicit drug abusers representing eight percent of the population. The report also stated that 51.6 percent of Americans were currently alcohol drinkers -which represents more than half the Americans aged 12 or more and around 70.9 million Americans aged 12 or more were current tobacco users. These statistics clearly state that many people are suffering from substance abuse, which is considered a disease these days. This disease has different stages which are described as follows.

Stages
There are five different stages of substance abuse. They are experimentation, regular use, risky use, dependence, and addiction.

Experimentation
Many of the abusers start taking a substance without knowing the future effects of it. Experimentation generally starts at a very early age when they are young. People start experimenting with a substance because of peer pressure, stress or by watching others doing it. It might also start because of marital conflicts or work pressure. The users feel resolution of their problem and start using it regularly. Few of them probably may stop using on their own but few of them get into the next stage.

Regular use
After experimentation, they get into regular use. They start feeling that substance or drug use is the answer to their problems. In this stage, they start deciding on when to take the substance or drug, say, before bed or on weekends. Their want for the substance increases before the decided or planned time. They start being dishonest with their friends and family members depending on amount of usage. Then slowly, they tend to increase the use of the substance. Some people in this stage can also stop using the substance based on his/her personal effort. Or else, the person will get into risky use.

Risky use
The transformation from regular to risky will be totally dependent on the individual, and it differs from one individual to another. In this stage, the person will have negative consequences like not caring relationships with friends, family and spouse. These negative consequences start hindering the daily activities. The heavy users start feeling that they cannot sustain on seeing the drug and start craving for it. They get involved in crimes such as stealing or cheating for getting money to purchase the substance. If this actions are left unchecked, the person will slip into next stage. People easily and unknowingly pass from risky use to dependence stage.

Dependence
There is just a thin gap between risky use and dependence. People will be preoccupied with use and development of tolerance. In this stage, people will have a strong urge to use the drugto stop the illnesses like nausea, headache, body pains etc. In this stage, they fail to fulfill family, school, college or work responsibilities. There will be increase in dangerous and risk-taking drug-related behaviors. They start committing serious crimes to get the abusing substance. This, finally, leads to addiction.

Addiction
This is the last stage of substance abuse. This involves serious psychological and physical changes because of heavy intake of the substance abuse. The symptoms of addiction include irresistible craving or seeking substance of abuse. The person will be emotionally and physically dependent on drug. The severity of drug abuse depends on the personality of the addict. In this stage, there is a great possibility of substance overdose which would result in death or serious damage. If a person is not treated at this stage, it will get much worse. Once a person is brought out of addiction through treatment there are many chances of relapse.

Substance abuse is a complex problem which may result because of combination of hereditary, psychological and environmental factors. It is important for everyone to avoid substance use. Even one use can lead to addiction. If treated in early stages, there are better chances of recovery with less effort and spending. There will also be less chances of relapse when treated in early stages.

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Know About Benzodiazepine Drug Abuse And Importance Of Testing For It (Drugteststrips)

Drug abuse became a common health concern all across the globe. In spite of many restrictions on the availability of harmful drugs, both illicit and prescription, the number of drug abusers is found increasing. Among the harmful prescription drugs having widespread availability, benzodiazepines are considered as the foremost. Benzodiazepines are highly toxic and are available in numerous forms. Benzodiazepine abuse is proved to be highly hazardous to health. Therefore, it is necessary to be aware of the ill effects of the drug and the importance of early detection of its abuse.

What are Benzodiazepines?
Benzodiazepines, commonly called as 'benzos' are known to be hypnotic drugs and brain tranquilizers. These central nervous system depressants are generally prescribed to treat sleep disorders, anxiety, acute stress reactions, panic attacks and convulsions. This drug is available in many forms with various strengths. Benzodiazepines in any form are found to be highly toxic and addictive, so they should be used only as prescribed.

The main centers of action of Benzodiazepines in the human body are cells of nervous system. Benzodiazepines are involved in the augmentation of a specific neuro transmitter called GABA (gamma - aminobutyric acid). GABA is an inhibitor hormone, which passes from one cell to another transmitting the message to reduce the activity of a particular process. As benzodiazepines increase the activity of these hormones, the overall brain activity is slowed down.

Effects of abuse
Benzodiazepines are found to act on the neural activities of the human body. As these are found to control the activities of nervous system, the person abusing the drug is prone to suffer from mental and personality disorders. It is also found that some symptoms of Benzodiazepine drug abuse are non - specific and may relate to any part of the body. Some of the effects of this drug abuse on the human body are:

Insomnia
Difficulty in breathing
Anxiety
Anorexia
Over sedation (drowsiness, dizziness, blurred vision, weakness, lack of coordination, confusion)
Amnesia
Deep or permanent coma

Apart from the above effects, Benzodiazepine drug abuse is also found to create severe personality disorders such as suicidal tendencies, depression, aggressive behavior which includes violent behavior, physical abuse, assaults, homicides and many anti-social activities at home and at workplace.

The effects of Benzodiazepines does not stop with the above list, more drastic effects are found when taken with other addictive drugs like opiates, hypnotics, anti-depressants, etc. making the individual more tolerant and dependent to other drugs, finally leading to fatality.

Importance of drug testing
Early detection of drug abuse is necessary as it is difficult for an individual to withdraw the drug use after a certain period of time. Some of the symptoms associated with chronic abuse withdrawal are insomnia, gastric troubles, irritability, delirium, tremors and seizures. Apart from these, forceful withdrawal may also develop suicidal tendencies in abuser.

The number and the severity of ill effects of Benzodiazepines on the body are not easy to analyze. Hence, it is on the part of the individual and his companions to go for the early detection of drug through testing. This helps in avoiding the serious consequences associated with the prolonged usage of drug. It is especially necessary to conduct Benzodiazepine drug tests at workplaces and homes to identify drug abusing employees or teens. In many cases drug tests are found to be life savers. Hence, it is necessary to conduct a drug test immediately on identifying the symptoms of drug abuse.

Types of testing
Various types of drug tests are conducted to detect the drug abusers. These drug tests help in identifying the elevated levels of Bezodiazepines and their metabolites in any given sample. The most commonly used samples for conducting Benzodiazepine drug test are saliva, hair and urine. The drug tests can be conducted in laboratories or on-site (home or workplace) by using drug test kits.

Drug tests in laboratories
The drug tests conducted in laboratories are highly accurate. These tests not only detect the presence of Benzodiazepines and their metabolites, but also detect the levels of drug abuse by analyzing the sample. The laboratories can use any sample like saliva, blood, urine or hair for identifying the drug presence.

Drug tests using testing kits
Various drug testing kits are available in the market making it easy for the people to conduct the test at their convenience. Unlike laboratory tests, they can be conducted at any place and at any time. These drug test kits are very useful for employers and for parents for conducting onsite drug tests, in regard with the easy collection of sample. These drug testing kits are inexpensive as well as accurate.

Benzodiazepine drug abuse is found to be chronic drug abuse of all. Creating awareness about the negative effects and the methods to control this drug abuse is the only way to combat this problem. Early rectification of this problem will help in establishing a good society with high values.

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Know About the Different Stages of Substance Abuse (Drugteststrips)

Substance abuse is a pattern of harmful usage of any substance to get mood-alterations. It includes both illegal substances like Marijuana, Cocaine, Opioids etc., and abuse of legal drugs like alcohol and tobacco. Substance abuse also includes misuse of prescription medications which have sedative, analgesic or stimulant properties. Depending on the substance of abuse, it will lead to health problems, social problems, financial problems, injuries, violence, accidents, suicides, physical dependence or mental addiction. Despite of numerous negative effects, many people are getting addicted to substance use.

According to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) 2008 report, 20.1 million Americans aged 12 or more were illicit drug abusers representing eight percent of the population. The report also stated that 51.6 percent of Americans were currently alcohol drinkers -which represents more than half the Americans aged 12 or more and around 70.9 million Americans aged 12 or more were current tobacco users. These statistics clearly state that many people are suffering from substance abuse, which is considered a disease these days. This disease has different stages which are described as follows.

Stages
There are five different stages of substance abuse. They are experimentation, regular use, risky use, dependence, and addiction.

Experimentation
Many of the abusers start taking a substance without knowing the future effects of it. Experimentation generally starts at a very early age when they are young. People start experimenting with a substance because of peer pressure, stress or by watching others doing it. It might also start because of marital conflicts or work pressure. The users feel resolution of their problem and start using it regularly. Few of them probably may stop using on their own but few of them get into the next stage.

Regular use
After experimentation, they get into regular use. They start feeling that substance or drug use is the answer to their problems. In this stage, they start deciding on when to take the substance or drug, say, before bed or on weekends. Their want for the substance increases before the decided or planned time. They start being dishonest with their friends and family members depending on amount of usage. Then slowly, they tend to increase the use of the substance. Some people in this stage can also stop using the substance based on his/her personal effort. Or else, the person will get into risky use.

Risky use
The transformation from regular to risky will be totally dependent on the individual, and it differs from one individual to another. In this stage, the person will have negative consequences like not caring relationships with friends, family and spouse. These negative consequences start hindering the daily activities. The heavy users start feeling that they cannot sustain on seeing the drug and start craving for it. They get involved in crimes such as stealing or cheating for getting money to purchase the substance. If this actions are left unchecked, the person will slip into next stage. People easily and unknowingly pass from risky use to dependence stage.

Dependence
There is just a thin gap between risky use and dependence. People will be preoccupied with use and development of tolerance. In this stage, people will have a strong urge to use the drugto stop the illnesses like nausea, headache, body pains etc. In this stage, they fail to fulfill family, school, college or work responsibilities. There will be increase in dangerous and risk-taking drug-related behaviors. They start committing serious crimes to get the abusing substance. This, finally, leads to addiction.

Addiction
This is the last stage of substance abuse. This involves serious psychological and physical changes because of heavy intake of the substance abuse. The symptoms of addiction include irresistible craving or seeking substance of abuse. The person will be emotionally and physically dependent on drug. The severity of drug abuse depends on the personality of the addict. In this stage, there is a great possibility of substance overdose which would result in death or serious damage. If a person is not treated at this stage, it will get much worse. Once a person is brought out of addiction through treatment there are many chances of relapse.

Substance abuse is a complex problem which may result because of combination of hereditary, psychological and environmental factors. It is important for everyone to avoid substance use. Even one use can lead to addiction. If treated in early stages, there are better chances of recovery with less effort and spending. There will also be less chances of relapse when treated in early stages.

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Common Drugs of Abuse - Cut off Concentrations and their Detection Periods (Drugteststrips)

Drug abuse is widespread and is one of the top health concerns in many countries. Drug abuse causes multiple problems to the abuser, his/her family and the immediate society. Physical and mental effects are quite obvious in the drug abuser. Drug abusers cannot function as normal citizens of the society. They neglect their families, become poor socially and economically and may also involve in crimes. It is very important to detect the drug abusers using drug tests to make them stay away from harmful drugs. Here we will look at some of the common drugs of abuse, their detection periods and cut-off concentrations in different drug testing samples.

Common Drugs of Abuse
National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) recently stated that about 22 million Americans were abusing illicit drugs in 2009. Some of the commonly used illicit and prescribed drugs are Marijuana, Methamphetamine, Phencyclidine (PCP), Cocaine and Opiates.

Marijuana
Marijuana is the most commonly abused drug in America with almost 16.7 million users. Marijuana is a psychoactive drug. The immediate effects of marijuana include relaxation, euphoria, and hallucinations. However, marijuana addiction leads to problems such as short-term memory impairment, red conjunctiva, and increased heart rate and blood pressure.

Methamphetamine
There were more than 500,000 methamphetamine users in America in 2009. Methamphetamine is also a stimulant that causes euphoria, mood elevation, and appetite suppression. High doses of the drug lead to restlessness, anxiety, irritability, tremors, and paranoia. It may also result in fixed and dilated pupils, and heart and brain dysfunction.

Phencyclidine (PCP):
Around 45,000 people started using Phencyclidine in 2009. PCP, a "dissociative" drug, stimulates central nervous system. Short-term effects of PCP addiction are drowsiness, lethargy, and disorganized thoughts. PCP abuse causes visual, tactile, and auditory misperceptions; slurred speech; and sweating. Severe psychological effects are seen among PCP drug abusers.

Cocaine:
There were 1.6 million Cocaine users in United States in 2009. Cocaine is a powerful nervous system stimulant. Cocaine enhances euphoria, alertness, energy and motor activity. High dosage cocaine abuse leads to convulsions, tremors and increased body temperature. Drug tests for cocaine detection check for presence of Benzoylecgonine which is the main metabolite of the drug.

Opiates:
Opiates including morphine, codeine, and heroin are derivatives of opium. High dosage of opium consumption causes depression of central nervous system leading to dizziness, lethargy, and drowsiness. Liver diseases, respiratory depression, and spontaneous abortion are caused by long-term use of opiates. Morphine and Morphine Glucuronides are the metabolites of opiates that are detected in drug tests.

Drug detection
Urine, saliva, and hair are the common samples taken to perform a drug test in order to detect the elevate levels of the above mentioned drugs. Detection period and cut-off concentrations of various drugs vary based on the type of test. The drug cut off concentration level is defined as the minimum level of drug or metabolite concentration in the specimen, which can be considered as a positive result. Amount of drugs that can be detected is based on several factors such as drug detection time, frequency of use, metabolism, specimen type, methods of drug testing, and others.

Urine Tests
Most of the illicit drug abusers are commonly tested by using urine tests. Urine drug test kits are available in the market for on-site tests or laboratory analysis. Urine drug tests are least expensive compared to all other types.

The cut off level for marijuana in urine is 50 ng/ml and can be detected between 2 to 4 days of consumption. Habitual marijuana use can be detected up to 30 days in urine. Cut off level for methamphetamine is 1000 ng/ml and can be detected between 3 to 5 days. PCP 25 ng/ml and detection period is 3 to 7 days. Cocaine 150 ng/ml and can be detected between 4 to 5 days. The cut-off level for opiates earlier was 300ng/ml. However, in order to reduce possibility of false positives, it is increased to 2000ng/ml. Opiates such as heroin, codeine or morphine can be detected for 2-4 days.

Hair Drug Tests:
Hair drug tests are accurate and can detect any type of drugs for 90 days. A hair sample of 1.5 inches of length is enough to conduct hair drug tests.
The cut off concentrations of common drugs of abuse using hair drug tests are: Cocaine (Benzoylecgonine) - 0.5 ng/mg, Amphetamines (Amphetamine) - 0.5 ng/mg, Marijuana - 0.005 ng/mg, Opiates (Morphine) - 0.2 ng/mg, Phencyclidine (Phencyclidine) - 0.3 ng/mg.

Saliva Drug Tests:
More recent drug use can be detected by saliva drug tests. These are more expensive than urine tests and less expensive than hair tests. They are easy to use and the chances of adulteration are very less. Detection period of saliva tests is not known for some drugs. However, methamphetamine and PCP can be detected for 1-3 days.

The cutoff concentrations for the above mentioned drugs using saliva tests are Cocaine - 20 ng/ml, Amphetamines (d-Amphetamine) - 50 ng/ml, Marijuana (THC-COOH) - 12 ng/ml, Opiates (Morphine) - 40 ng/ml, Phencyclidine (Phencyclidine) - 10 ng/ml.

Whatever the test may be, the cut-off concentration is a crucial parameter to detect the presence of drugs in order to provide accurate results.

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Amphetamines- The Effects of Its Abuse (Drugteststrips)

Amphetamine is the collective term for several substances including amphetamine sulphate, laevoamphetamine (Benzedrine), dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine), and methamphetamine (Methedrine). Amphetamines are produced from a colorless oil base which is insoluble in water. The most common form of usage is powder that may be made into capsules or tablets. Amphetamine is often mixed with adulterants such as sugar, glucose or ephedrine.

Effects of Usage
Amphetamines can be injected, snorted, smoked or taken orally. Amphetamines are psycho-stimulants and their primary effect is to speed up the activity of the brain and nervous system. The user's heart and breathing rate increases and they may experience tremendous energy, alertness and confidence. The abuser suffers from low appetite but become excited and more talkative.

Effects of short-term amphetamine use include:
* Increased heart rate
* Increased blood pressure
* Reduced appetite
* Dilation of the pupils
* Feelings of happiness and power
* Reduced fatigue

Long term amphetamine use can result in:
* Insomnia, restlessness
* "Paranoid psychosis"
* Hallucinations
* Violent and aggressive behavior
* Weight loss
* Tremors

The less sought after effects include heart palpitations, nervousness and tetchiness. At higher doses, amphetamine can cause irregular heartbeat, headaches, faintness and panic attacks. Long term, heavy usage can lead to insomnia and psychological and emotional problems such as depression, obsession and extreme fierceness can develop. In some cases, abusers will experience amphetamine psychosis - a psychological state, similar to schizophrenia - accompanied by paranoid hallucinations.

Amphetamine Effects on the Nervous System
Amphetamines stimulate the central nervous system and sympathetic division of the peripheral nervous system. Amphetamines mainly increase the synaptic activity of the dopamine and nor-epinephrine neurotransmitter systems. Amphetamines can:
1. Cause the release of dopamine from axon terminals.
2. Block dopamine reuptake.
3. Inhibit the storage of dopamine in vesicles.
4. Inhibit the destruction of dopamine by enzymes.

All of these actions result in more dopamine in the synaptic cleft where it can act on receptors.

Withdrawal Symptoms
Many of the effects of amphetamines are similar to cocaine. Amphetamine withdrawal is characterized by severe depression and weariness. Users will go to extreme measures to avoid the withdrawal symptoms that emerge when the effect of amphetamines start wearing off. Amphetamine use also causes tolerance to its effects that means, more and more amphetamine must be used further to get the desired effect.

The above information gives you an insight into the effects caused by the abuse of Amphetamines, which helps you in keeping away yourself and your dear ones from abusing drugs like Amphetamines.

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How to Turn Away from Substance Abuse (Drugteststrips)

Staying away from drugs is the most challenging task ever. It calls for a great deal of determination to prevent any sort of substance abuse. It is neither achieved in one day nor through a single process. Staying away from substance abuse needs consideration of various factors which include mental, physical and environmental factors. Good understanding of these factors is very crucial as it helps in taking away this problem right from its roots. Let us understand in detail about the things to be followed to stay away from drug abuse.

Understand how it develops
The very first step to keep yourself away from substance abuse is to be aware of "how actually one develops this habit". This habit in most of the cases is unconsciously developed. By the time a person realizes that he is addicted to a drug, the damage is already done. And this damage is entirely irrevocable. Hence, it is wise on part of an individual to be proactive and understand the actual cause of this problem and prevent the habit before it develops. The basic reasons for getting into drug addiction include mental illness, work pressure, depression, bad company, temptation, etc.

Avoid temptations and peer pressure
This is the major cause for drug addiction, as temptation and peer pressure are very hard to overcome. These are the probable motivators for substance abuse for any individual. Drugs make the individual habituated to them. This tunes the mind of the drug abuser towards it and the temptation to abuse it regularly starts immediately.

Another aspect that affects drug abuse is peer pressure. This is very common among teens. Most teens, even adult drug abusers provoke others to abuse drugs. They tend to tease the persons who refuse to abuse, which makes the non-abusers to take up drugs in order to fit into the crowd. It is very hard to overcome peer pressure, it needs great courage to say 'NO' and stand by your own principles.

Stay away from substance abuse hangouts
One of the best ways to turn away from drug abuse is to stay from the substance abuse hangouts. They are the potential starters for drug abuse in a society. These places encourage temptation and peer pressure will be high. Avoiding these hangouts will be of great help in preventing and overcoming the drug abuse. Especially, it is very much useful in cases of out-of-city parties or rave parties.

Practice healthier living habits
The most positive way of turning away from substance abuse is to practice healthier lifestyle. Healthy living ensures good habits, mental strength, good health and most importantly averts the negative influence. Being a part of social activities, being in a good company, exercising physically and mentally, and good diet is a part of healthy lifestyle. Healthier lifestyle imparts positive energy and increase confidence to overcome any kind of wrong temptations.

Keep a balanced life
The main reason for developing drug addiction is lack of mental strength. An individual most often succumbs to pressures associated with life and work. These pressures result in imbalances leading to addiction of drugs. One of the best possible ways to ensure a well-balanced life is to be in a good company. This enhances the positive outlook on life which leads to good mental health. Hence, for a good living one needs to balance all the phases of his/her life well, which results in ultimate happiness, thus depriving from the negative habits.

Staying away from drug abuse may sound impossible, but nothing is impossible before strong determination and will power. All the above points provide a clear understanding on how to deal with the problem of substance abuse. Hence, by concentrating on these aspects, one can lead a healthy and happier life.

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How to Fight Alcohol Abuse at Workplace? (Drugteststrips)

Alcohol abuse at workplace costs businesses millions of dollars every year in the form of lost productivity, absenteeism and medical treatment. With respect to employees, alcoholism results in various issues at workplace, like poor performance, negative morale, health issues, etc.

If you look into the statistics by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the year 2011, 64.3% of full-time employed adults aged 18 or older were using alcohol. These numbers are really high.

In order to fight alcoholism at workplace, as an employer, you need to take measures to keep a close check on employees abusing alcohol. Let's see how.

Make 'use of alcohol' as against employer's laws:

As an employer, improving the productivity of your employees is a goal for you to achieve. This becomes a reality when your employees are not involved or influenced by alcohol or other illicit drugs at workplace. As a matter of rule, make 'use of alcohol' as against the practices at workplace. By this, it will be easy for you to implement the norms as a policy measure.

Create awareness of the policy:

Let your employees know that your company is not going to be lenient with those in the workforce who use alcohol. As an administrative measure, this should be taken into account immediately. Send inter office memos to employees in this regard. Let them be aware of the consequence, including formal notifying, warning, or in the extreme case termination of employment. Make sure these go via proper channels at the organizational level.

Educate employees:

Alcohol use at workplace causes many issues which ultimately results in decline in productivity of workforce. Educate your employees regarding the benefits. Formulate an employee assistance program for the purpose. Include benefits like getting free counseling within the organization, referring to outside counselors if required, taking care of dependents, etc. This will prompt the affected employees to avail the benefits.

Identify alcohol abusing employees:

In view of this, monitor and document regularly the behavior, performance, attendance and any misconduct with co-workers until you get a strong clue that the employees are under the influence of alcohol. Look out for a confirmatory indication that the employee is under the influence of alcohol at workplace. Once identified, refer the employee for counseling.

Make alcohol testing mandatory:

Before you take the extreme step to remove the employee from the organization, it is sensible to conduct alcohol test using test kits. These include breathalyzers, urine test, blood test, hair test or saliva test. These kits are safe, accurate, fast and reliable. Make sure that the alcohol testing policy you pursue is in compliance with the state laws.

Like any other intoxicating substance, alcohol affects the overall productivity of the employees. Employers should be very careful in handling alcohol abusing employees, so that it does not affect their productivity.

Drug test kits from drugteststrips.com are reliable, affordable and FDA approved. Our thc test strip is a simple to administer dip-and-read test designed to detect marijuana use in urine. Our nicotine testing kit is a device used for the detection of cotinine in human urine.

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