Where can I buy a home drug and/or alcohol test?

Better still, thanks to continued innovation from laboratories like AlphaBiolabs, home drug and alcohol tests are more accessible than ever and can be ordered online for an affordable price. 

In this article, we explain what a peace of mind home drug and/or alcohol test is, how these tests work, and what samples can be used.

We also provide advice on how to ask a loved one to take a drug and/or alcohol test.

What is a peace of mind home drug and/or alcohol test?

As the name suggests, a peace of mind home drug and/or alcohol test is for personal use only.

The results of these tests can help lessen any worries you might have or enable you to seek support for a loved one who has been abusing drugs, but they cannot be used for legal purposes or in court proceedings.

Peace of mind home drug and/or alcohol tests also allow you to collect your samples quickly and easily at home, without the need to use a more costly and time-consuming third-party to verify the sample collection.

If you require a drug and/or alcohol test for use in court, you will need a legal drug test or a legal alcohol test.

Can you do a drug and/or alcohol test at home?

Thanks to advances in science, and continued innovation from accredited laboratories like AlphaBiolabs, it is possible to test for drugs and/or alcohol at home.

Better still, these types of tests are now more affordable than ever before, making it easier for members of the public to access home drug and/or alcohol testing simply by ordering a test kit online.

Some tests, like AlphaBiolabs’ Home Urine Drug Test Kit, provide results within minutes, using a self-contained testing pot that displays the easy-to-read results.  

Other tests, like our Drug and Alcohol Nail Test – as seen in the Daily Express – require you to collect your samples at home and return them to our toxicology laboratory for analysis. 

The benefit of these tests is that the samples can be collected easily and discreetly in your own time, without the need to involve a third-party in the sample collection.

You can also be confident that the results you receive from our accredited toxicology laboratory will be 100% accurate and reliable.

How does a home urine drug test work?

An AlphaBiolabs Home Urine Drug Test Kit has been designed so that the sample donor can urinate straight into the test pot, with no handling of urine required.

The test kit consists of a self-contained urine screening pot that can be used to detect the presence of 10 different drugs and their metabolites within a urine sample.

Instructions on how to collect the urine sample are included with the test kit.

Once the urine sample has been collected, the presence of two magenta-coloured lines indicates a negative result for the corresponding drug.

When no lines appear at the Test line, and only the magenta-coloured line appears at the Control line, this indicates a reaction for the corresponding drug.

How can drugs be detected in urine?

When a person consumes drugs, a proportion of the drug and its metabolites are released into the bloodstream.

A small amount of the drug and its metabolites are then excreted from the body in a variety of ways, including in urine.

It is then possible to use a urine drug test to detect the presence of the drug and its metabolites in a urine sample, using a home drug test kit.

How long do drugs stay in urine?

A urine drug test can detect the presence of drugs for up to four days after drugs were first consumed.

How accurate is a home urine drug test?

Our Home Urine Drug Test Kit is up to 99% accurate and is incredibly sensitive to the presence of drugs and their metabolites, making the results extremely reliable.

Please be aware that the Home Urine Drug Test Kit is a screening device only, and the results are not admissible in court proceedings. No further laboratory analysis is required for peace of mind home urine drug tests.

How much does a home urine drug test cost?

You can purchase an AlphaBiolabs Home Urine Drug Test Kit online now, for just £18.

This price includes delivery of your test kit by Royal Mail First Class. More shipping options are available for an additional cost.

How does a home drug and/or alcohol nail test work?

A home drug and/or alcohol nail test works by analysing fingernail clippings OR toenail clippings for the presence of certain drug and/or alcohol biomarkers.

The presence of these biomarkers indicates that the sample donor has used drugs and/or alcohol within a certain period of time prior to the samples being collected.

Fingernails provide us with an approximate six-month overview of drug/alcohol use, while toenails provide us with an approximate 12-month overview of drug/alcohol use.

This is because fingernails and toenails grow at different rates.

When you order a Drug and Alcohol Nail Test from AlphaBiolabs, your kit will contain all the information you need to collect your nail samples and safely return them to our toxicology laboratory for testing.

Simply follow the instructions provided in your test kit to collect your fingernail clippings OR toenail clippings and return them to our laboratory. 

You should only submit either fingernail clippings OR toenail clippings to be tested, as we cannot test both nail types in the same test.

Our innovative Drug and Alcohol Nail Test was also featured in the Daily Express. 

How can drugs be detected in nails?

When drugs are consumed, their metabolites are released into the bloodstream.

As the nail grows, substances pass from the blood vessels below the nail and into the nails themselves.

As with hair, nails are made from keratin, which is a fibrous protein. The substances become trapped in the keratin fibres of the nail and can be identified via laboratory testing.

Nail tests provide a simple and non-invasive way to test for drug use for up to a 12-month period prior to the samples being collected.

Fingernails provide an approximate six-month overview, and toenails an approximate 12-month overview, as fingernails and toenails grow at different rates.

A nail drug test cannot tell us when drugs were consumed, but can show us which drugs have been consumed during the six- or- 12-month period prior to the samples being collected.

How long do drugs stay in nails?

A nail drug test can be used to detect drugs for a period of up to 12 months after drugs were consumed.

Fingernail clippings provide an approximate six-month overview of drug use.

Toenail clippings provide an approximate 12-month overview of drug use.

This is because fingernails and toenails grow at different rates.

How can alcohol be detected in nails?

As with drugs, when alcohol is consumed, it is processed by the liver and its metabolites are released into the bloodstream.

A nail alcohol test looks for the presence of ethyl glucuronide (EtG), a specific long-term biomarker of ethanol (the intoxicating agent in alcoholic drinks).

These EtG biomarkers become trapped within the keratin fibres along the length of the nail.

A nail test for alcohol can only show abstinence during an approximate six-month (fingernails) or 12-month (toenails) period, by identifying whether EtG is present in the sample.

We cannot say when or how much alcohol was consumed, only whether someone has consumed alcohol during that period.

How long does alcohol stay in nails?

A nail alcohol test can detect the presence of ethyl glucuronide (EtG), a specific long-term biomarker of ethanol (the intoxicating agent in alcoholic drinks) for up to 12 months.

Fingernail clippings can tell us whether alcohol has been consumed within six months prior to when the samples were collected.

Toenail clippings can tell us whether alcohol has been consumed within 12 months prior to when the samples were collected.

As mentioned earlier in this article, this is because fingernails and toenails grow at different rates.

How accurate is a home drug and/or alcohol nail test?

An AlphaBiolabs Drug and Alcohol Nail Test is 100% accurate based on the samples we receive at our laboratory.

Simply follow the instructions provided with your kit to collect your fingernail clippings or toenail clippings and return them to our laboratory for analysis.

Testing nail clippings for drugs and/or alcohol is a much more complex process than urine drug testing (a more common method of home drug testing), meaning laboratory analysis must be carried out to produce a 100% accurate and reliable result.

As a UKAS ISO 17025 accredited testing laboratory, our processes are meticulously reviewed on a regular basis to ensure our methods meet the highest possible quality standards for laboratory testing.

Do I need consent for nail testing?

Yes, the person being tested must give their consent for the test to be performed. The test cannot be carried out without this consent.

For children under the age of 16, consent for their samples to be used in the test can only be provided by a parent or guardian who has parental responsibility for the child.

Under UK law, a mother automatically has parental responsibility for her child from birth. The father has parental responsibility if he is either:

• Married to the child’s mother
• Listed on the birth certificate (after a certain date, depending on which part of the UK the child was born in)

Any person aged 16 or over must provide their own written consent (a signature) for the test to be performed.

How much does a home drug and/or alcohol nail test cost?

An AlphaBiolabs Drug and Alcohol Nail Test is available for £149 if testing for drugs and alcohol, £99 if testing for alcohol only, or £99 if testing for drugs only.

You can order your Home Drug and Alcohol Nail Test online now.

When is a home drug and/or alcohol test useful?

Unlike other drug and alcohol tests which require hair, blood or breath samples, Home Drug and Alcohol Nail Tests and Home Urine Drug Tests offer a discreet, alternative method of collecting samples for testing.

For example, if you are a parent who is concerned about a child’s drug and/or alcohol use, a nail drug and/or alcohol test, or a urine drug test, could be the ideal option.

These peace of mind tests can help ease any worries you might have about your child abusing drugs and/or alcohol or enable you to seek further support.

The other benefit of a home drug and/or alcohol test is that samples can be collected quickly and easily at home, without the need for a costly and time-consuming third party to verify the sample collection.

Whether you are worried that a child or family member is abusing drugs, or just want a test for your own peace of mind, an AlphaBiolabs Drug and Alcohol Nail Test or a Home Urine Drug Test Kit can give you the answers you need.

However, please be aware that peace of mind drug and alcohol tests cannot be used in court or during legal proceedings.

If you require a drug or alcohol test for legal matters, you will need a legal drug test or a legal alcohol test.

Should I order a home drug and/or alcohol test for my child?

There are many reasons why you might consider ordering a drug and/or alcohol test for your child. See ‘How can I tell if a child is using drugs and/or alcohol, without a drug or alcohol test?

Our peace of mind drug and/or alcohol tests have been designed to make it as easy as possible to test for drugs or alcohol at home. However, we understand that having a conversation about suspected drinking or drug abuse is not easy.

You should think carefully about your reasons for wanting a drug and/or alcohol test before ordering a test.

After all, many teens have no intention of drinking alcohol or taking drugs and many parents will understandably have concerns about the trust implications of asking their child to take a test.

Whatever the circumstances, it’s important to consider your reasons for wanting a test, and the impact that home drug and/or alcohol testing might have on family relationships.

How can I tell if a child is using drugs and/or alcohol, without a drug or alcohol test?

There are several signs you can look out for if you suspect that your child is abusing drugs or alcohol. These include:

• An unusual odour on their breath and/or clothes
• Behavioural changes e.g. depressed or withdrawn
• Lack of concentration
• Increased risk-taking
• Loss of interest in school or other activities
• Lack of interest in their appearance
• Unusually tired or sleeping more than usual

However, it’s important to remember that some of these signs could also indicate another underlying mental or physical health condition that requires support.

We strongly advise that you have an open and honest conversation with your child before ordering a drug and/or alcohol test.

How can I ask my child to take a drug and/or alcohol test?

As mentioned, we would always recommend that you have an open and honest conversation with your child(ren) about your concerns, to get to the root cause of what might be troubling them.

It’s important to emphasise that the questions are coming from a place of care and concern for their wellbeing, rather than being angry or accusatory.

There are many reasons why a child might appear withdrawn or despondent that have nothing to do with taking drugs or drinking alcohol excessively.

If your child has a history of alcohol or drug use, it is recommended that you seek support from a clinical professional such as an addiction specialist, doctor, or counsellor, who will be able to provide advice and guidance. 

Where can I buy a home drug and/or alcohol test?

AlphaBiolabs offers a range of easy-to-use home drug and alcohol tests, designed to give you peace of mind or enable you to seek support for a loved one who has been abusing drugs or alcohol.

Simply choose our Home Drug and Alcohol Nail Test (from £99) – as seen in the Daily Express – or our Home Urine Drug Test Kit for £18 and order your test online now.

If you have a question or would like advice on which test is best for you, call our Customer Services team on 0333 600 1300 or email info@alphabiolabs.com.

Please be aware that our home drug and alcohol test kits are for peace of mind only. You can use these tests to get the answers you need, but the results cannot be used in legal proceedings or in court.