Recommended Cut-Offs for Substances and Metabolites in Hair to Identify Use

Recommended Cut-Offs for Substances and Metabolites in Hair to Identify Use Source: Society of Hair Testing

Drug Class	Initial Cutoff Level (ng/mg)	Confirm Target Analyte	Confirm Cutoff Level (ng/mg)

Amphetamines	0.2	Amphetamine	0.2
		Methamphetamine	0.2
		MDMA	0.2
Buprenorphine	0.01	Buprenorphine	0.01
		Norbuprenorphine	0.01
Cannibinoids-(marijuana)	0.1	THC	0.005
		THC-COOH	0.0002
Cocaine	0.5	Cocaine	0.5
		BZE, EME, CE, NC	0.05
Methadone	0.2	Methadone	0.2
		EDDP	0.05
Opiates	0.2	Morphine	0.2
		Codeine	0.2
		6-acetylmorphine	0.2

^NOTES:
^{6-acetylmorphine = heroin}
^{BZE = benzoylecgonine, the primary metabolite of cocaine (3-Benzoyloxy-8-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane-4-carboxylic acid)}
^{CE = cocaethylene, a cocaine metabolite formed only in the presence of ethanol, aka 'alcohol' (ethyl (2R,3S)-3-benzoyloxy-8-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane-2-carboxylate)}
^{EME = ecgonine methyl ester, a more minor metabolite of cocaine}
^{EDDP = an inactive metabolite of methadone (2-ethylidene-1,5-dimethyl-3,3-diphenylpyrrolidine)}
^{MDMA = Ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine)}
^{NC = norcocaine, a minor metabolite of cocaine (methyl (1R,2R,3S,5S)-3-(benzoyloxy)-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane-2-carboxylate)}
^{THC = tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive component of cannabis/marijuana (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol)}
^{THC-COOH = the main secondary metabolite of THC (11-nor-9-carboxy-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol)}

Recommended Cut-Offs for Substances and Metabolites in Hair to Identify Use

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