Hair analysis for drugs

In contrast to proof of abstinence from alcohol, proof of abstinence for narcotics is by examining dyed/tinted hairpossible.

Food containing poppy seeds (poppy seed cake, poppy seed rolls, poppy seed yoghurt) may contain small amounts of morphine. These foods must be avoided as they can give a positive opiate test result. Codeine in cough syrup is converted to morphine by the body. Even when cough syrup is taken, it cannot be ruled out that morphine is detected in addition to codeine in the hair and that the hair analysis is positive for opiates. Dihydrocodeine-based cough syrups are an alternative.

Hair is not substance-free immediately after the start of abstinence. In the growth phase (anagen phase), newly formed scalp hair reaches the surface of the scalp after about 9 - 14 days. For a proof of abstinence, this means that in the first month after the start of abstinence, aWaiting time of about 2 weeksmust be taken into accountuntil "substance-free" hair has grown back.