When Brittany Tucker’s brother died in 2015, “I just took it the wrong way,” she said. “I turned to drugs.”

Tucker’s addiction resulted in state intervention from the Georgia Department of Human Services Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) in 2016. Within two years, DFCS had removed all four of her kids - including an infant daughter - from her care.

Georgia law says when drugs are involved in child welfare cases, a judge may require drug screening of the parent. Tucker agreed to random drug screens in hopes of getting her children back. State contracted workers would collect the specimens then send them off to subcontracted drug testing labs.

Tucker admits to early relapses, but by 2019, she said she was sober for good. “I didn’t get sober for myself,” she said. “I did it for my kids.”

But her mandated drug tests didn’t show that. According to the results from state subcontracted labs, Tucker tested positive for methamphetamine during times she claims she was sober. Those results affected her visitation privileges with her children.

Read the full story here: https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2024/10/17/are-hair-follicle-drug-tests-reliable-georgia-expert-says-no/