Hub · Substances

Substance reference

Plain-language, educational substance pages. What each substance is, the analytes drug tests target, panels that include it, and common cross-reactivity notes. No dosing, no sourcing, no use instructions.

cannabinoid

THC (cannabis / marijuana)

THC is the principal psychoactive cannabinoid in cannabis. In workplace and clinical screening, the marker is THC-COOH (an inactive metabolite) — not THC itself

stimulant

Cocaine

Cocaine is a short-acting stimulant. Workplace and clinical assays detect its primary metabolite, benzoylecgonine, which is highly specific and rarely subject t

opioid

Opioids (opiates)

The federal panel's opiates assay targets morphine, codeine, and 6-acetylmorphine (a heroin-specific marker). Semi-synthetic opioids like oxycodone and hydrocod

stimulant

Amphetamines & methamphetamine

The amphetamines class on the federal panel covers amphetamine, methamphetamine, MDMA and MDA. Immunoassay screens have a high false-positive rate; confirmation

dissociative

PCP (phencyclidine)

Phencyclidine is a dissociative anesthetic and one of the original federal "SAMHSA-5" analytes. Modern programs continue to include it under DOT and federal gui

depressant

Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines are a family of prescription CNS depressants. They appear on 10-panel and many expanded clinical panels, but immunoassay sensitivity varies wide

depressant

Barbiturates

Barbiturates are an older class of CNS depressants. Their use in routine medicine is now limited, but they remain on 10-panel screens and many recovery-monitori

opioid

Methadone

Methadone is a long-acting synthetic opioid used for chronic pain and as opioid-use-disorder treatment. It is not detected by standard "opiates" immunoassays an

opioid

Fentanyl

Fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid. SAMHSA added fentanyl and its metabolite norfentanyl to the federal urine and oral-fluid panels effective July 7, 2025, r

alcohol

Alcohol (ethanol)

Workplace alcohol testing is typically a breath test (BrAC) under DOT and most non-DOT programs. EtG and EtS are conjugated metabolites measurable in urine for