Which Drug Test Should I Request for Family Court?

A Real Guide for Child Law Practitioners

When substance misuse affects parenting capacity, the Family Court needs evidence that is clear, reliable and admissible. AttoLife supports solicitors and local authorities with drug testing services including hair strand drug tests under full chain of custody and ISO 17025 accreditation. So, which drugs should be included in a Family Court test request?

Start with the Core Family Law Drug Panel

Based on thousands of AttoLife legal cases, the drugs that appear most often are:

• Cocaine
• Cannabis
• Heroin and other opiates
• Ketamine

These can be tested individually or as part of larger panels. The 5 panel drug test includes cannabis, cocaine, opiates, methamphetamines and amphetamines. The 6 panel drug test includes those plus benzodiazepines. To include ketamine in batch analysis, a 9 panel drug test is required which also includes methadone and tramadol. 
Ketamine use is on the rise among younger parents. More on this later.

1) Cocaine

Cocaine is a drug used at every level of society. It may be snorted, rubbed on gums or smoked as crack cocaine. Although cocaine and crack cocaine are chemically similar, crack carries a much greater social stigma. This is why if a parent tests positive for crack, they will often claim environmental exposure or unusual explanations such as hair straighteners converting cocaine residue into crack. AttoLife reports what we find and provides expert comments when contamination is possible.

What Are the Key Markers of Cocaine Ingestion? 

• Benzoylecgonine indicates ingestion
• Cocaethylene shows cocaine used with alcohol
• Hydroxycocaine is closely linked to ingestion and can help to distinguish use from contamination 

How Long Does Cocaine Stay in Hair?

Up to 12 months, and segmentation allows us to see patterns of use over time. If head hair has been shaved, body hair or nails can be analysed although these cannot show month by month trends.

What if Someone Tested Positive but Says They Didn’t Take Cocaine?

Environmental contamination is real. It can happen when residue transfers from surfaces, skin contact, shared pillows or bank notes. Children and individuals living in drug using households are at highest exposure risk. Even so, through wash results and metabolite ratios we can usually see whether the substance was actually ingested.

How Can You Check for Cocaine Contamination?

1. Hair washing
2. Ratios between cocaine and its metabolites
3. Presence of ingestion specific markers
4. Consistent results across hair segments

2) Cannabis 

THC metabolises into THC COOH which only appears after cannabis is consumed. Passive cannabis smoke creates residue on hair but does not produce THC COOH at reportable levels. Legitimate CBD wellness products should not contain THC and should not show up on a hair strand test. Medical cannabis, which may be prescribed for pain, anxiety, PTSD or to manage chemotherapy side effects, will appear in hair testing and have been identified at stronger levels because NHS prescribed cannabis is often purer than street cannabis.

How Long Does Cannabis Stay in Hair?

Up to 12 months with segmentation can show whether use is declining, stable or increasing.

Passive Smoke and Contamination

Cannabis smoke can coat hair but without THC COOH the result is considered environmental and not ingestion.

3) Heroin and Prescribed Opiates

Heroin is portrayed in films like Trainspotting as the ultimate dangerous drug that is highly addictive and brutally difficult to stop taking. In Family Court cases, heroin use is rarely isolated. It is associated with chaotic lifestyles, criminal involvement and unpredictable behaviour. Even when found alongside prescribed opioids, heroin results remain a major safeguarding concern.

What We Consider in the Lab When Testing for Opiates 

• The presence of 6 MAM which is unique to heroin
• Morphine which can come from heroin or prescribed sources
• Codeine which may be medically justified or misused 

A morphine only result does not prove heroin use. Interpretation is essential to distinguish legitimate treatment (e.g. Codeine) from illicit ingestion.

Can Eating Poppy Seeds Cause a Positive Heroin Result? 

Eating poppy seed bagels or cakes may cause a trace morphine presence in a rapid screen (like a urine cup) but LC MS confirmation testing can clearly separate lawful exposure from heroin use because poppy seeds do not produce 6 MAM or mimic consistent heavy use over time.

What Is the Hair Detection Window for Heroin? 

Up to 12 months, with segmentation for trend analysis. Unlike urine where heroin indicators disappear within hours, heroin metabolites remain in the hair shaft once incorporated. If head hair is shaved, body hair or nails can be used although these cannot show a monthly pattern.

Why Is Heroin Such an Issue in Family Law?

Heroin dependency affects finances, daily routines, sleep patterns and decision making. These factors directly translate into risk for a child.

4) Ketamine

Ketamine began life as a medical anaesthetic used in both hospitals and veterinary practice. It has since become a popular recreational drug particularly in the UK party and festival scene. Ketamine use among adults under 25 has more than doubled. It can be cheaper than cocaine and the lack of a heavy comedown can falsely appear to make it a safer choice.

What Does Ketamine Show Up as in a Drug Test?

In the body, ketamine is broken down into norketamine. Norketamine confirms ingestion rather than passive exposure. 

How Long Does Ketamine Stay in Hair?

Up to 12 months with segmentation available.

What Is the Impact of Ketamine on Frequent Users? 

• Chronic use causes bladder ulceration and potential incontinence
• Linked to confusion and poor memory
• Users may become dissociated and unaware of danger
• Dependency can develop rapidly even when use is intended to be occasional 

A Word on Pink Cocaine

Pink cocaine sounds premium but it is rarely cocaine at all. It is usually ketamine mixed with MDMA or methamphetamine and a pink dye. Some users genuinely do not realise ketamine is involved and believe they are taking a stimulant that helps them stay alert. The uncertainty around what substance is being consumed is itself a safeguarding concern.

How Does Experts Interpret Drug Usage in Legal Scenarios? 

A common question in Family Court cases: “How many lines did they take?” or “Was it just once?” The science cannot provide those answers. Even in what appears to be a perfect comparison scenario, such as identical twins with similar lifestyles and hair types, we see different drug levels in their hair. Biology, growth rate, hair texture, washing habits, swimming and environmental exposure all influence incorporation into the hair. Hair test guidelines are set using general population models, not individual biology. They are the best available standard but they cannot account for every person’s unique physiology and lifestyle.

Three people could use cocaine in the exact same pattern over the same three months and still produce different hair levels. One result might sit well above the reporting cut off, one may be borderline and another may appear much lower. Cut off values are simply the point at which a result has moved beyond what could be explained by contamination or incidental contact. If a parent’s levels exceed those cut offs, the finding is consistent with significant repeated use. However, it is not possible to calculate how much was taken, how often or precisely when.

What we can do, and what AttoLife focuses on in our reporting, is interpret the pattern. Segmented analysis shows whether use is increasing, decreasing or stable, and can highlight periods of abstinence or relapse. Combined with contextual information from the referrer and the donor’s own account, we can assess whether results align with claimed behaviour. That is why gathering case information at the start is so important. The more we know about the situation, the more helpful and accurate our interpretation for the Court can be.

How Fast Can Testing Be Arranged?

We pride ourselves on how quickly we can respond to your queries. Call us and see, or use the quote button below:

• Quote within 30 minutes
• Donor contact within 2 hours
• Hair results in 5-7 working days
• Court admissible reporting included

Contact me at dean@attolife.co.uk or 020 3551 1493

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