Which Alcohol Test Is The Most Effective?

By Bart Icles

Alcohol tests are being used by different entities to be able to detect whether a person is under the influence of alcohol or not. They may be for the following reasons:

1. For disciplinary actions in schools and the workplace.
2. For medical purposes.
3. For police reports.
4. For legal purposes.
5. For employment purposes.

They are also used for other purposes but the four (4) reasons mentioned above are the most common reasons why alcohol tests are called for. To date, there are different methods or ways wherein alcohol is detected. They may be conducted using the following specimens:

1. urine
2. blood
3. saliva
4. breath
5. hair

These biological specimen are the basis of the 5 common types of alcohol testing, which are the following:

1. Urine alcohol test - this type of alcohol test uses the urine of the person in question. It would take up to two (2) hours only upon alcohol consumption for alcohol to be detected in urine. It is inexpensive, though, so it is appealing to a lot of entities. However, it can only detect alcohol ingestion done in the past week or a bit longer for regular drinkers. Not only that, it is an intrusive method of alcohol test.

2. Blood alcohol test - this is expensive but is more accurate than some of the alcohol tests. It identifies the actual volume or content of alcohol in the blood. This is the least preferred method, though, because of the cost.

3. Breathalyzer alcohol test - this uses a breathalyzer, which is a device used to measure BAC or blood alcohol content. It analyzes a person's breath and, at the same time, measures the amount of alcohol in it. However, this isn't really a preferred method since the results can be inaccurate.

4. Saliva alcohol test - this is more expensive than urine alcohol test and there is lesser chances of tampering to occur. However, there is no accepted level of cutoff for this test in a national level so it cannot be accepted as an evidence in any court of law.

5. Hair alcohol test - this is fast becoming a popular alcohol test since it has a lot of positive aspects as compared to other alcohol tests. Traditional alcohol testing methods would normally just detect alcohol consumption of about four (4) weeks give or take, but this would allow alcohol to be detected even after 6 months. Also, a one-time test would be sufficient for this while for others, they should be done on a regular basis, making the expenses add up. It is also non-invasive and is tamper-proof because of the procurement and the storage methods of the hair sample in question. - 31376

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