Dr. Baumgartner's find created a minor sensation, enough to warrant a mention in a 1985 Time magazine cover story about drugs in the workplace.

Psychemedics’ standard test uses a 1 ½ inch sample of head hair, which provides an approximate 3 month history of drug use.

The partnership goes back over 15 years and the drug tests are provided at clinics throughout Brazil, and then shipped to the lab in Culver City, California for analysis.

Compared to analysis of body fluids, hair testing is highly resistant to evasion by adulterating or substituting samples, or by simply abstaining from drug use for a few days.

A standard test of approximately one-and-one-half inches of head hair cut close to the scalp can provide a several month window to detect drug ingestion.

The Plain Dealer noted that this fact was not disclosed to parents, revealing that it "wasn't stated at the institution-wide meetings to discuss with students their soon-to-be-curtailed privacy.

"[10] This is not the first time that The Psychemedics Corporation has been scrutinized for questionable business tactics, having previously hired the high ranking employees of their clients.