Hair Testing for Drugs

ScreenSafe UK provides world leading drug and alcohol testing services to medico-legal professions for use in family, criminal law, child protection and social services matters. Our laboratory services have been testing for drugs of abuse for over 27 years and are the pioneer of modern techniques. Hair testing is unique in its ability to look back months rather than days at drug use, making it essential in child residence, protection orders, family and criminal cases etc. By providing information on exposure to drugs over time, hair analysis can be useful in verifying self-reported histories of drug use in any situation in which a past history of drug use is desired. During controlled tests of hair, a drug user is not able to hide the fact that they abuse drugs. Once ingested, the drug remains in the hair as a permanent record. All our testing methods, procedures and systems have been validated to at least UKAS standards or equivalent. Many have been published in peer-review journals such as the Forensic Science International (available on the internet).

Our laboratory services were founded by the President of the International Association of Forensic Toxicologists, who is also the President of the Society of Hair Testing, and who has published over 100 articles on this topic and many "industry-used" reference books. The scientific director of the laboratory, is a world renowned hair expert with more than 15 years of experience in the field of toxicology, specifically in hair. To his credit he has more than 100 scientific publications, 12 chapters in books, more than 150 scientific reference posters and seminars/talks at many international conferences. Our laboratory service team also includes many World leading figures and experts who are actively involved in, and members of, the UK and Ireland Association of Forensic Toxicologists (UKIAFT), The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists (TIAFT), the Society of Hair testing (SoHT). They have also published many groundbreaking articles and papers regarding pioneering and industry leading analyses.

Our Drugs Testing and Alcohol Testing, Collection and Consultancy Services are accredited to ISO 9001/2008 standards and we guarantee that the laboratory services we provide to our customers are accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 standards via internationally recognized bodies such as UKAS and COFRAC; a standard that only a handful of laboratories Worldwide can claim to achieve.

Our primary focus has always been on Quality not Quantity and, instead of just meeting minimum standards which are often left open to challenge, we have World leading authorities performing World leading analyses and guiding our team. Our results and/or procedures have never been successfully challenged, but our experts are experienced in successfully challenging the results and procedures of other UK providers and laboratories.

NOT ALL TESTING IS THE SAME. If quality matters, it is only common sense to choose ScreenSafe UK.

We offer the UK's most accurate and widest range of analysis available for Drugs and Alcohol. We will not sacrifice quality for cost. The laboratory's pioneering techniques are celebrated worldwide and lead the way where other's follow. In essence, our laboratory services can be approximately 3-4 years ahead of any UK laboratory. For example, our laboratory has been analyzing for Alcohol in hair for almost a decade now. Due to the high standing of the laboratory director, the laboratory has access and uses only leading edge technology equipment. This results in other UK laboratories often using our laboratory services where they cannot provide sensitive enough testing and analysis methods.

We can offer the same level of sensitivity and detection as offered by other UK companies (we call this our "standard panel") which we do so that you can compare "like for like", but we can also offer you higher sensitivity tests on a wider range of substances (we call this our "non-standard panel").

For example we can detect a group of Benzodiazepines that are not included in other companies' analysis - therefore picking up evidence that may well be missed by them. We can also detect much lower levels of Cannabis using our specific test for THC-COOH. THC-COOH (or Carboxy-THC) is the marker for active cannabis use in hair and is not present in smoke produced from the combustion of cannabis plant materials. Thus the presence of this compound in the hair cannot be accounted for by being in an atmosphere where the drug was being smoked by others or from passive inhalation of the smoke produced. This is a far more sensitive than the standard analysis for Cannabis offered by other UK laboratories (and the one we include in our standard panel). This fine detail can often be crucial in a case.

Most Common Drugs Tested For:

  • Cannabis (including a highly sensitive test specifically for THC-COOH which will pick up actual Cannabis use and at low levels that other laboratories cannot test for)
  • Cocaine (including "Crack")
  • MDMA (Ecstasy or "E")
  • Opiates (including Heroin)
  • Amphetamine
  • Barbiturates
  • Methadone
  • MethAmphetamine
  • Benzodiazepines (including a group that many other laboratories cannot test for)

Please note that we can also test for other substances including Steroids, Ketamine, Buprenorphine, LSD, GHB, Flunitrazepam (Rohypnol), Fentanyl, Meperidine, Khat, Psilocine, Phencyclidine, Mephedrone, Methedrone, Butylone, Synthetic Cannabinoids and Alcohol (ETG and FAEEs). The Alcohol test is used to detect abuse levels but we also have a technique that can help establish abstention from Alcohol of 6 months or longer. This technique is exclusive to us. The laboratory team are very quick to react to new substances - for example legal highs etc. In 2010 they developed a screen for the cathinones, including mephedrone, methedrone, butylone and MDPV, as well as a test for "Spice" (synthetic cannabinoids). They have published the first series of its kind for positive results for mephedrone in hair at the 2011 Society of Hair Testing meeting. Some of these are specialist tests that are exclusive to our laboratory. Please contact us to discuss any specific requirements you may have. Some of these substances cannot be detected effectively by the normal ELISA screening method and will therefore require direct chromatographic methods of analysis to give a legally defensible result. We lead by example. If it can be tested for, we can do it!!

Our World leading quality and reputation means we are often the choice for "high profile" cases where dependability on results and expert witness is a pre-requisite. This has included successful challenges of hair analysis results provided by other companies (see Expert Witness section).

Do you need a professional, accurate, reliable service for stakeholders involved in family law and childcare requiring in-depth unique and detailed assessment, reporting, treatment and counselling services within the area of substance misuse? This is ScreenSafe UK's unique service - ASSIST©.

We believe we have the UK's highest levels of expertise in the assessment process, and it is the ASSIST© service that needs to be employed in order to produce child-centred and comprehensive risk evaluations in this area.

ScreenSafe UK will manage the whole process for you, from taking samples for drugs and alcohol testing, to providing in-depth, unique and detailed assessments for use by case-holders on the impact of any such substance use. We will also plan, manage and execute proven successful treatment services as and where required. For more information see the ASSIST© section of our website.

ScreenSafe UK also provides a specialist psychiatrist service, specializing in the area of drug, alcohol and substance abuse. Referrals to this service often result in a higher level of understanding of how long term results may impact on an individual's life and their role in the family unit. See the "Specialist Psychiatric Services"" section for further information. We can combine this with our ASSIST© service if required.

During a High Court hearing before The Hon. Mr Justice Moylan (12/11/2010) the use of hair testing (for Alcohol) was questioned. In the case referred to, it was the interpretation of results by the experts involved that was at fault and not the analytical methods.

It has always been our belief that quality of results and quality of our expert witness interpretation are vital to our clients, and that we must maintain our high standards to add value to legal and forensic cases.

This is why ScreenSafe UK has never had one of our reports successfully challenged.

Where child placement and safety is concerned, we believe there should be no question of sacrificing quality. Competent interpretation is paramount and a pre-requisite with ScreenSafe UK. What originally appears to be "the cheaper option" may not always be in the best interest of either the client or the state and definitely not the child(ren) involved.

Example Case Study

Child A & B were taken into care. Mother was a previously known drug user. Father was not involved with the family any more. Mother was committed to turning her life around and providing a safe environment for her children so that they could eventually return home. The court instructed hair testing by ScreenSafe UK for a time period covering the last 6 months. ScreenSafe UK advised all parties that segmental analysis (month by month - 6x1cm) would be of great value initially to this case as it would show either an increase in drug use, decrease in drug use or even abstinence. This was proven invaluable, as the results from 6 months ago and 5 months ago both showed positive for drugs. However, the results then decreased rapidly to negative in the results from 1 and 2 months ago. This indicated, not only a decrease in use 5-6 months ago, but also complete abstinence in the most recent months. If this initial hair test would have been for an average over the 6 months (i.e. non-segmented 1x6cm sample) the results would have shown positive and drug use inferred. The detail of when and the pattern of use would have been lost. This would have resulted in longer term care required for the children and possibly detrimental impact on the mother's recovery plan. Both of which would not be desired outcomes and very costly for the state. Continued hair testing took place over the next 12 months but this time using non-segmented analysis (1x3cm) as it was only a positive or negative result that was then important - not the pattern of use.

As part of our industry leading package, we also offer our own (non-subcontracted) professional, fully insured and competent collection service 24 hours a day, 365 days per year (see our section on "Collection Service"). Using this service will ensure a legally defensible Chain of Custody, guaranteeing that enough hair is taken and that forms are completed correctly. The collection service includes secure and traceable despatch of sample for next working day.

An "Expert Witness Statement" is usually required in most cases. This will provide essential support at court via a detailed explanation of positive results. With our World leading experts, our results interpretation is trusted both in the UK and Internationally. If you need further clarification or explanation then just ask. Our friendly UK team are on hand to assist you, at no extra charge, in every part of your case. An "attendance at court" service is also available if required.

NOT ALL TESTING IS THE SAME. If you or your client wishes to benefit from the highest quality of analysis and customer service available in the UK today - delivering accurate and reliable results and expert interpretation on time, then please contact our friendly, dedicated and professional Medico-Legal team on 08450 505590 or via email.

Please do not hesitate to contact Customer Services on 08450 505590 or via email (enquiries@screensafeuk.co.uk) if you require any further help or assistance.

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