Hair vs. urine drug tests?

[deleted1083451]

Hello everyone, apologies in advance as this may be a controversial question. I am wondering if internship sites typically use urine or hair drug screenings? I am a medical marijuana user and am discontinuing my use to prepare for pre-internship screens, but it occurred to me today that I may not pass a hair screening if I had to take one right after match day. I am hoping that most internships use urine screenings but just wanted to see if anyone knows whether that is the case? Thank you in advance.

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[spacegiraffe]

I think BOP uses urine if that helps. Not sure about other types of sites.

 

[WisNeuro]

At least in the VA, it was urine screenings when I was working there. I'd assume similar for other similar agencies, should be someone on here who has interned in BOP who can confirm.

 

[deleted1083451]

At least in the VA, it was urine screenings when I was working there. I'd assume similar for other similar agencies, should be someone on here who has interned in BOP who can confirm.

Thank you both! I appreciate the help. I am mostly wondering about state hospitals - I probably should have clarified that.

 

[WisNeuro]

Thank you both! I appreciate the help. I am mostly wondering about state hospitals - I probably should have clarified that.

Probably state specific, but most would go for urine testing.

 

[deleted1083451]

Probably state specific, but most would go for urine testing.

Thank you! Ugh I feel so stupid and anxious now. I hope this doesn’t affect my ability to start an internship. Thanks very much for your help.

 

[bluecolourskies]

If it helps, I have never heard of any job using hair follicle to test potential employees. Probably cuz its more expensive.

 

[dcpsychdoc]

Thank you! Ugh I feel so stupid and anxious now. I hope this doesn’t affect my ability to start an internship. Thanks very much for your help.

Some sites may have exceptions for medical use (with documentation). Particularly if the person is not currently using. Good luck!

 

[PsyDr]

Guessing that background checks in federal settings have some way of seeing MMJ registrants.

If they can find my second grade teacher, surely they can find MMJ.

 

[bluecolourskies]

Guessing that background checks in federal settings have some way of seeing MMJ registrants.

If they can find my second grade teacher, surely they can find MMJ.

Haha good point!

 

[bluecolourskies]

Could you ask previous interns? I don’t think it would come off as weird, especially if you have long hair. I wouldn’t want a chunk of my hair cut off, personally, so I would definitely be asking.

 

[modestmousktr]

At a private non-profit hospital, we use urine! And actually it was postponed due to COVID.

 

[BuckeyeLove]

Done both state and fed. Always urine. (...this would be a weird post in a vacuum).

 

[R. Matey]

Can confirm. I've never had a hair test for any practicum, job, or internship in this field.

 

[BuckeyeLove]

I honestly dont know how this garbage hasn't been deemed unconstitutional yet because news flash it is.

 

[StellaB]

Hair follicle analysis is significantly more expensive. I have never heard of an employer using hair follicle analysis for a pre-screen.

 

[StellaB]

I honestly dont know how this garbage hasn't been deemed unconstitutional yet because news flash it is.

I think in some states, hair follicle analysis would be more likely to be thrown out because it's so much more invasive and less relevant. If the issue is whether you are currently affected by substance use, my understanding is that hair follicle analysis would be far less reliable. Heck, in CA, employers cannot use a lot of pre-employment personality screeners (the junk science I/O psychology type) for invasion of privacy concerns. You can still require an MMPI or something for security guards / police officers / fitness for duty evaluations, but there has to be justification, it can't be that you require it of all your potential hires just because you want to.

 

[WisNeuro]

Hair follicle analysis is significantly more expensive. I have never heard of an employer using hair follicle analysis for a pre-screen.

Gordon Food Service, at least they did more than a decade ago.

 

[YungPsy]

I’ve heard of it for my friends in certain engineering jobs at huge oil/gas companies but that’s about it

 

[BuckeyeLove]

Also to the OP, not sure which state you're in, but some have codified med cannabis as being fine except for drivers or people holding firearms.

 

[singasongofjoy]

as others have noted, hair is expensive and very rarely used and no place is going to want to pay money for that kind of testing for someone who is only going to be around a year and who will be practicing under someone else's license. I interned at a state hospital and currently work at one. The only place I have ever been drug tested was prior to practicum placement in a very restrictive state and was working at state residential facilities. That was a urine test. I just get the impression testing is often mentioned as a possibility but in actuality only done if you screw up and give them some reason to think they should (like showing up smelling of weed I guess) or wreck a state vehicle if you happen to be driving one for some reason (but... I even did that once and wasn't tested, just mortified because it was a really stupid 1-car accident with a curb grate before I'd even left my neighborhood.... no substances involved, just sleep deprivation, which maybe is worse much of the time. there's a reason I'm not in a job that requires a ton of visual spatial awareness)

 

[Fan_of_Meehl]

Guessing that background checks in federal settings have some way of seeing MMJ registrants.

If they can find my second grade teacher, surely they can find MMJ.

I think things are pretty modern in that department, these days. They use psychic operatives (think "The Men Who Stare at Goats" movie) which is an infallible method unless you have an iron will and can avoid thinking about toking up (even once) during the 30 minute screening interview. Also, no goat jokes...they HATE that.

 

[Cantab109]

BOP and state hospitals have been urine, although I had one state hospital use an oral swab. The only time I've had a hair sample was for employment in a state correctional facility, not sure they would do that for practicum/internship students.

 

[deleted1083451]

BOP and state hospitals have been urine, although I had one state hospital use an oral swab. The only time I've had a hair sample was for employment in a state correctional facility, not sure they would do that for practicum/internship students.

Thanks for your help! Could I ask which state correctional facility? I am interviewing with a county juvenile correctional facility in Texas.

 

[Cantab109]

Thanks for your help! Could I ask which state correctional facility? I am interviewing with a county juvenile correctional facility in Texas.

A facility in Massachusetts

 

[JustNoticing]

I've worked in county corrections and it was urine...I'm shocked that that anyone has had hair testing done tbh

 

[DynamicDidactic]

Seems like there is no need for a Brittany moment.

 

[futureapppsy2]

I’ve heard of it for my friends in certain engineering jobs at huge oil/gas companies but that’s about it

My dad worked for one of the big oil field service companies (in R&D), and they used both hair and urine drug testing.

 

[AbnormalPsych]

What are the advantages to hair? Longer period of detection? Increased accuracy? More specific metabolite detection?

 

[deleted1083451]

What are the advantages to hair? Longer period of detection? Increased accuracy? More specific metabolite detection?

From what I’ve read, hair testing can detect use from 90+ days for THC, as opposed to 30 days or so for urine.

 

[clausewitz2]

There have been lawsuits and EEOC complaints based on disparate impact related to hair testing. There is some reason to believe different types of hair retain metabolites for differing periods of time and religious Sikh men are really not cool with the idea they're going to be asked to cut off some of their hair. Only someone dedicated enough to absolutely positively maximizing hits,, lawsuits be damned, is going to do this.

 

[PsyDr]

choices:

1) give up a vice for a year in order to complete a decade long endeavor.

2) keep up the vice and potentially fail in a decade long endeavor.

 

[deleted1083451]

choices:

1) give up a vice for a year in order to complete a decade long endeavor.

2) keep up the vice and potentially fail in a decade long endeavor.

Yeah, I have already discontinued my use, just kicking myself for not doing it sooner to prepare for a potential hair test. Not a mistake I will make again 😔

 

[AbnormalPsych]

choices:

1) give up a vice for a year in order to complete a decade long endeavor.

2) keep up the vice and potentially fail in a decade long endeavor.

Yeah, I have already discontinued my use, just kicking myself for not doing it sooner to prepare for a potential hair test. Not a mistake I will make again 😔

You old enough to remember Nair? Might be time for a large purchase

(kidding)

 

[PikminOC]

If it helps, I have never heard of any job using hair follicle to test potential employees. Probably cuz its more expensive.

At my job in a large hospital system, they did hair testing. I was.surprised

 

[BuckeyeLove]

You old enough to remember Nair? Might be time for a large purchase

(kidding)

I've often wondered what happens if someone shaves off everything. And I mean everything.

 

[deleted1083451]

I've often wondered what happens if someone shaves off everything. And I mean everything.

I’m assuming one would fail by default in this case. Oh the anxiety is soul crushing lol

 

[PikminOC]

I've often wondered what happens if someone shaves off everything. And I mean everything.

Nails

 

[deleted1083451]

Thanks for your help everyone! I appreciate the honest feedback and insights.

 

[borne_before]

Dude. You gotta relax. This is really a question for HR. You’ve got a couple of things on your side:

1. no one does hair follicle testing. If they did that would be like wtf.

2. a positive urine test isn’t grounds for immediate disqualification. I say that as a person who uses mixed amphetamine salts and have taken a urine test for an outpatient health facility. What happened was that I tested positive for amphetamines (shocker). Then a doctor called me and was like “yo dude, do you have a prescription?” And I was like “yeah” and told him the name of the pharmacy. My company never found out and I worked there for a couple of years.

So are you applying in a legal weed state? Does the hospital have a bummer policy against the use of medical dutchie. All that stuff matter.

 

[dcpsychdoc]

Dude. You gotta relax. This is really a question for HR. You’ve got a couple of things on your side:

1. no one does hair follicle testing. If they did that would be like wtf.

2. a positive urine test isn’t grounds for immediate disqualification. I say that as a person who uses mixed amphetamine salts and have taken a urine test for an outpatient health facility. What happened was that I tested positive for amphetamines (shocker). Then a doctor called me and was like “yo dude, do you have a prescription?” And I was like “yeah” and told him the name of the pharmacy. My company never found out and I worked there for a couple of years.

So are you applying in a legal weed state? Does the hospital have a bummer policy against the use of medical dutchie. All that stuff matter.

“Medical dutchie”

 

[borne_before]

Also, a lot of full spectrum cbd oil will have you test positive.

 

[AbnormalPsych]

I've often wondered what happens if someone shaves off everything. And I mean everything.

How often?

😉

 

[borne_before]

 

[Cam_Chai19]

Dude. You gotta relax. This is really a question for HR. You’ve got a couple of things on your side:

1. no one does hair follicle testing. If they did that would be like wtf.

2. a positive urine test isn’t grounds for immediate disqualification. I say that as a person who uses mixed amphetamine salts and have taken a urine test for an outpatient health facility. What happened was that I tested positive for amphetamines (shocker). Then a doctor called me and was like “yo dude, do you have a prescription?” And I was like “yeah” and told him the name of the pharmacy. My company never found out and I worked there for a couple of years.

So are you applying in a legal weed state? Does the hospital have a bummer policy against the use of medical dutchie. All that stuff matter.

Well the guidance we've gotten from APPIC is that it doesn't matter if you have a prescription, if you live in a state where marijuana is legal, or if you're just using CBD oil. Marijuana and CBD are illegal federally, so some organizations are still sticklers about positive tests, especially federal organizations. Part of our match agreement is that we have to meet the organization's hiring requirements, so in previous years, there have been cases where students' offers were rescinded after the match because they tested positive for marijuana even if it was completely legal based on their state/circumstances.

I agree though, follicle testing seems very rare. OP, I certainly understand why this is stressful, but there's no way to go back at this point and it seems really unlikely to be matched at a place that requires follicle testing. Plus, do most sites that ask for drug tests require you to be tested right after the match? If you don't have to take the drug test until onboarding, there is still way more than 90 days before you would be on-site with your internship.

 

[AbnormalPsych]

Back when I did a federal gov internships there was definitely a waiting period before any onboarding paperwork, testing, etc happened. If I recall it was a like 2-3 months post match day. I could be off. An I definitely had flexibility to choose my appointment day, so I could have delayed if needed.

Also, that is a good point above. As far as I know from my own personal experiences, any organization taking federal money (even local community clinics getting grant money) may have these federal MJ requirements (but even though these places had this rule, they did not test people unless something came up during employment). Something to consider, but at this point, it is what it is. Stop using and proceed. It is unlikely you'll get a hair test. Risk increases in forensic and related federal positions. For onboarding, you'll have several months from now until a test. Even worst case, you get a hair test, its positive. You still may be ok. You have documentation and a need. There is a bit of a buffer.

 

[WisNeuro]

What the actual ****?

 

[Ollie123]

Step 1: Sign up for random internet forums
Step 2: One month later, search for all posts containing the word "hair" regardless of relevance and post spam.
Step 3: ???
Step 4: Profit???

 

[WisNeuro]

Step 1: Sign up for random internet forums
Step 2: One month later, search for all posts containing the word "hair" regardless of relevance and post spam.
Step 3: ???
Step 4: Profit???

I mean, US clinical psychologists and trainees do offer an untapped market for shady Istanbul hair plug purveyors. Genius marketing strategy.

 

[BuckeyeLove]

This might be the best part of my day.