Hair Follicle Testing for Infrequent User

Hair Drug Testing (HDT) is very erratic in relation to all substances with the possible exception of cocaine. Generally, infrequent use of cannabis is not detected. But THC (and metabolites), which is what they are testing for, is an erratic molecule and in fact unpredictable.

However, it is safe to say that it would be exceptional to detect light usage in hair.

Hello m:

Hair testing is a highly accurate way of detecting drug use over the last 90 days, or thereabouts. You smoked twice during that time, albeit only a few hits. Nonetheless, detection is likely.

excon

Dr Bill,

Thanks so much for your timely response. I am a complete basket case right now since I am for the most part a total goody goody. I pretty much always turn marijuana down, but stupid me decides to partake albeit slightly in the past 90 days. In your expert opinion are you fairly certain I should pass? I do realize these tests can be 50-50.

I also have fairly soft strawberry blonde hair if that makes any difference.

Thanks for your quick response!

I am providing a link to a little additional information on infrequent use. While this is from NORML (an advocacy group) it has the citations for confirmation. The fact that "Hair tests are more likely to detect regular than occasional marijuana use" is a long standing problem(?) with the test.

Believe it or not, your hair color probably is in your favor. A major problem with HDT is that those with coarse dark hair are more than twice as likely to test positive (for all substances) than their fair haired counterparts.

Additive, DuPont (2008) found that hair testing was "remarkably effective in
Targeting the heavy, frequent user of illegal drugs rather than the occasional user of illegal drugs..." and relating to marijuana noted "hair testing is unlikely to be positive for marijuana until the tested student has used marijuana at a rate of about twice a week in the prior 90 days. (p. 8)"

The 2008 study is consistent with an earlier (2006) that appeared in the Journal of Forensic Sciences which concluded "Drug testing technology that detects the residual presence of cannabinoids and/or their metabolites in the hair typically fails to identify occasional marijuana users."

Thanks again DrBill. I feel somewhat less like a basket case, though I won't be completely calm until I have the results. I'll let you know as soon as I get them. Lets hope I'm the case where the infrequent use does NOT show.

If someone took 3.5 mgs of adderall and 2 hydro 10s over the course of 30 days would a hair folicle test come back over the limits, possitive? - Just trying to figure out if 3.5 mgs adderall and 2 hydo 10s taken in 30 days would cause someone to fail a hair follicle test or would it be to low of a level?

Am I to assume that the amount taken does not have an impact on the test limits. For adderall the cut-off would be 500 pg/mg hair, and for the Hydos it would be 300 pg/mg of hair. This leads me to believe that it is possible to have an amount in the hair that is low enough to pass.

I really wish you would have let use all know how the test came out.

really need an answer...hopefully more than an opinion

Did you pass?