Hair analysis test

[Naturalist]

I used to be a hard smoker, smoking at least 4 times a day 3-4 hits each session. Recently, February, I reduced my smoking to occassional use. I used the last week in March (at the most 5-10 hits total) and then one hit in April and finally one hit at the beginning of May. I just recently started looking for a new job and they have pre-employment drug testing-hair analysis! I guess I really impressed them in the interview because I got a call back only 4 days later. Today, I had to take the hair analysis test and I am wondering if anyone knows what the allowance is for marijuana on this test?! I have been researching it since I had the interview. I have read that they can dedect up to 90 days on the test and that it will be positive if it shows more than 1ng. Does anyone know what 1ng would equal in reference to the amount of smoke ingested? Since February, I have lost 30 pounds and regularly walk everyday and work-out every other day. Any information regarding this would be helpful! Thank you!

[IamN2pot]

1ng is a extreemly small amount. If that is the cutoff level used by the test you submitted to, IMO you need to contine your job hunt. Here is a link to a board that specificly deals with hair testing. http://cheaptalk.marijuana.com/420/forumdisplay.php?f=26
Good luck and please post your test results. N2

[Naturalist]

I don't know if the test only allows 1ng but that is what I was told that hair analysis tests allow by someone at ipassedmydrugtest.com
Does anyone know if that allowance is a true assessment of the hair anaylsis tests? And I know 1ng is a small amount but what amount of smoke can you inhail to be over that amount? one hit, two hits, ten hits in a 90 day period??

[IamN2pot]

It would be more along the lines of a fraction, a small fraction of 1 hit. I was recently clean for 110 days, smoked 1/4 gr of Mexican and within 2 hours my urine was over the 50ng/ml for a home test. I realize that is urine and your talking hair, but if that much was in my urine, then my hair must certianly have been filtering the THC also.
I was of the opinion that hair test in general, used the 50ng/ml cutoff level. But I could certianly be mistaken. I did a Google, but could not find hair test cutoff levels. It is true that GC/MS can detect down to 1ng/ml, but if that is the cutoff level, it would be a sad day. Please post any more info you find on the test and I'll try to make some phone calls tomorrow and post what I fine. N2

[rnf232s]

the main thing about hair is the thc stays there permanently in the shaft. a lot of work places will only look back to the last 90 days of hair growth. i am not sure how thc deposits in the hair though compared to how much you smoke but i will also try to find out some info for you and try to get back. good luck to and your job.

[IamN2pot]

BAD NEWS. I just called the 800 number at this link, http://www.ipassedmydrugtest.com/drug_cutoff_levels.asp, and was informed that indeed, their hair test cutoff level is 1ng/ml. I also ask if with such a low cutoff level if that amount could be gotten through passive/second hand smoke and was told yes. If exposed to passice smoke more than once or twice, you could come up possitive on a hair test. That is redicules!!!!

OK, now I'm really confused. I decided to call UrineLuck/Spectrum labs. http://www.urineluck.com/contact.php The lady there put me on hold to check with the chemist and came back to tell me that hair in a hair test is desolved into a liquid, (I already knew that) and then tested just like a possitive urine sample would be with GC/MS. She told me that the cutoff was indeed the same as the standard urine test at 15ng/ml.

Now to really muddy up the water. I just spoke with a rep at http://www.psychemedics.com/, the manufacturers of a hair test, PDT-90, and was told that the cutoff for marijuana is 1 picogram per 10 milligrams of hair. She also told me that trying to compair hair test cutoff levels with urine cutoff levels was like "compairing apples with oranges".
That should clear thing up, as least as clear as thick mud! N2

[Naturalist]

Thank you for your efforts, that is about how confusing the information I found out was. My friend took this same test a few years back at the same place of employment and said that she wasn't clean longer than months and somehow passed? I still have some hope because they have an allowance at the job even if you test positive on the test. I am also going to request my results if I test positive and act as though I have never done any drugs (I haven't except the herb) and let them know that I have been exposed to smoke from my mother who has a medicinal license for it so hopefully that will help?! Thanks again and I will post the results from the test when I find them out.