Do hair tests discriminate between fair haired and dark haired people?
No. It is a scientific fact that dark hair can take up more of some drugs than fair hair, but the differences are very small. Large population studies of hair testing have shown that there is no racial or colour bias when urine and hair tests are compared side by side. For example, a very large cocaine study published in January 2001 considered over 56 000 samples and found no significant relationship between hair colour and likelihood to test positive. Our own experience testing over 15 000 hair samples is similar; we examine and record the colour of each sample. Results from hair testing provide a higher degree of accuracy about drug use or abstinence than urinalysis. Factor in the large potential for fraud and evasion of urine testing, not forgetting the ‘dignity’ element for the donor, and hair analysis remains a powerful, safer choice for the testing and treatment of drug addiction.
