Quest Diagnostics Hair Test Positivity Jumps to 19.1% in 2025
DGX•Quest Diagnostics reports that 19.1% of U.S. workers tested positive for drugs via hair analysis in 2025, up from 13.1% in 2021, with marijuana positivity rising 58.9% to 15.1%. Oral fluid and hair testing services are growing as employers seek long-term usage insights, with cocaine and amphetamine rates also up.
1. Hair Test Positivity Surges
Quest Diagnostics’ 2026 Drug Testing Index shows hair test positivity climbed to 19.1% in 2025 from 13.1% in 2021, led by marijuana’s share rising 58.9% to 15.1%, indicating more chronic or recurring drug use detection.
2. Other Substance Positivity Increases
Detection of cocaine in hair samples rose 48.1% to 4.0%, benzoylecgonine reached 1.7% (up 54.5%), amphetamine positives climbed 27.8% to 2.3%, and methamphetamine increased 19.0% to 2.5%, broadening Quest’s testing scope.
3. Shift Toward Alternative Testing Methods
Oral fluid tests recorded 11.1% marijuana positivity versus 4.4% in urine, while hair testing offers a 90-day detection window; both methods resist tampering and support employers’ need for longer-term substance use insights.
