Login / Register | 0 items - $ 0.00 CONTACT US

AlcoPro - Drug and Alcohol Testing Products & DOT Training

  • Products
  • Training
    • DOT Drug and Alcohol Training
    • Employer Substance Abuse Awareness Training
    • Hotels in Knoxville
    • Training Materials
    • DOT Regulations Knowledge Base
  • Knowledge Base
  • Repairs & Services
  • Resources
    • Catalogs
    • Knowledge Base
    • Buyer’s Guide
    • Product Document Library
    • Drug Test Finder
    • Drink Wheel
    • Window of Detection Tool
    • Breath Alcohol Instrument Mouthpiece Chart
  • News
    • News
    • AlcoPro Blog
    • Sign Up – AlcoPro Blog
  • Customer Service
    • Order & Return Policy
    • Shipping Information
    • Apply for Tax Exempt Status
    • Satisfaction & Warranty Policy
    • Repair Services and Technical Support
    • Privacy Policy
    • Customer Reviews
  • Contact Us
    • Contact Us
    • Quote Request
    • Catalog Request
    • Product Sample Request
    • BAC Wheel Request
    • Customer Reviews
  • About Us

800.227.9890

Follow Us on FacebookFollow Us on TwitterFollow Us on LinkedIn

What are drug metabolites?

  • Home
  • /
  • Knowledge-base
  • /
  • Drug Testing Products
  • /
  • Product Questions
  • /
  • What are drug metabolites?

A drug metabolite is a byproduct of the body breaking down, or “metabolizing,” a drug into a different substance.  The process of metabolizing a drug is predictable and certain; everyone metabolizes drugs the same way.  Therefore, the presence of a drug metabolite can be a reliable indicator that a person used the “parent” drug of that metabolite. 

 

Some metabolites stay in the body much longer than the parent drug.  When that is the case, a drug test has a higher probability of identifying a drug user by looking for the metabolites of the drug, rather than the parent drug. 

 

Here are some examples of drug test kits that detect metabolites, rather than the parent drug:

 

Cocaine:

A typical cocaine drug test kit looks for the presence of the metabolite benzoylecgonine.  The presence of benzoylecgonine in a person’s system indicates cocaine use.  Benzoylecgonine stays in a person’s system significantly longer than cocaine (the “parent” drug). 

 

Nicotine:

Nicotine is metabolized into cotinine, which has a much longer life in the body than the parent nicotine drug.  Therefore, a urine drug test for “nicotine” looks for the presence of cotinine as an indicator of tobacco use.

 

Marijuana:

THC is the active substance in marijuana.  However, the body quickly metabolizes the THC molecule into several metabolites with long chemical names.  Urine drug tests typically detect the THC-COOH (nor-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) metabolite to identify marijuana users because it stays in the body much longer than the parent THC drug.  

ABOUT ALCOPRO

Since 1982, AlcoPro has supplied and manufactured the most accurate drug and alcohol testing instruments, kits, and supplies for professional use. We take pride in maintaining our industry-wide reputation for accuracy and quality as we help you—our top priority—perform alcohol and drug screenings and tests with greater precision and confidence.

Subscribe to Our Blog

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

800.227.9890
Follow Us on FacebookFollow Us on TwitterFollow Us on LinkedInFollow Us on YouTube

Privacy Policy

© 2023 AlcoPro.
All Rights Reserved.

Custom Website Design & Development by VIEO Design