Toxicology Tests

Toxicology tests, or “tox screens,” are used to test blood or urine for drugs, including alcohol. Although tox screens are most commonly used with blood or urine, in some cases sweat, saliva, and the contents of your stomach can also be tested for up to 30 substances. Things that will show up in a tox screen include:

• Prescription and nonprescription medication
• Illegal drugs
• Vitamins and nutritional supplements
• Alcohol

The Uses of Toxicology Tests

Tox screens have a number of important uses. Usually, they are given to determine if a person is not in compliance with the law, but they can also help to diagnose people who are unable to tell a doctor what is going on. Tox screens can be used for the following reasons:

• Testing athletes for banned substances such as steroids, usually done with urine samples
• Testing for date rape drugs, again, usually done with urine samples
• Testing at work, either as a routine drug screening or as part of a job application process, usually done with blood or urine
• Testing in the case of unconsciousness and unexplainable behaviors, usually done with blood or urine
• Testing possible drunk drivers to get their BAC, usually done with a blood sample

Tox Screens and DUIs

The use of toxicology tests is a way to determine if a driver has an illegal BAC or drugs in his or her system while driving. If a drunk driving suspect refuses a Breathalyzer test, the law enforcement officers can go to a judge to get a warrant to draw blood for a tox screen. This can be difficult because an on-duty judge must approve the warrant, but the results can be used in a court of law as evidence of drunk driving. The main concern is to keep the test from being tampered with.

Contact Us

If you or someone you know has undergone a toxicology test and is now in jail, contact Austin jail release lawyer Ian Inglis at 512-472-1950 today.