Can drugs affect a polygraph test?
Yes. Drugs can affect a polygraph test, but no matter what the drug these drugs usually react throughout the course of a test and a deviation from the mean average should in fact be detected even if the subject is using some recreational drugs. Polygraph examiners incorporate control tests prior to their polygraph examinations in most cases to determine if the subject is indeed testable. If there is a lack of response to control questions, that would be indicative that whatever medication the subject is on is going to neutralize the test, thus a test would not be conducted. So, detecting that will indeed discourage any false negative or false positive reactions on a polygraph test. In short, though drugs may affect a test, an examiner is going to cancel the test so the drugs are not going to help anyone to pass a polygraph examination. In fact, it will just call attention to the polygraph subject as to why they were taking recreational drugs in an effort to defeat the test.
