What are the Australian Standard Drug Class Screening Cut-off Levels?

Understanding Cut-off Levels

Drug testing is more than a workplace policy – it’s a critical component of risk management, compliance, and employee safety.

What determines whether a test result is not-negative or negative? Drug screening cut-off levels, as defined by the Australian/New Zealand Standards.

Cut-off levels are the minimum concentrations of a drug or its metabolites that must be present in a biological sample for a test to be reported as positive. These thresholds are designed to ensure accuracy and consistency, reduce false positives, and align with legal and safety requirements.

Australian/New Zealand Standards for Workplace Drug Testing

To maintain compliance and fairness, workplace drug testing in Australia and New Zealand follows two key standards:

AS/NZS 4308:2023 – Procedures for specimen collection and the detection and quantification of drugs in urine.
AS/NZS 4760:2019 – Procedures for specimen collection and the detection and quantification of drugs in oral fluid.

These standards define specific cut-off levels for different drug classes. They are based on concentrations that can be reliably detected under laboratory conditions and consider real-world factors – such as passive cannabis exposure – to ensure fair and accurate results.

AS/NZS 4760:2019 Oral Fluid Screening Cut-off Level

Drug Class	Screening Cut-off
Opiates	50 ng/mL
Amphetamine Type Stimulants	50 ng/mL
Benzodiazepines	10 ng/mL (optional)
Cannabis (THC)	15 ng/mL
Cocaine	50 ng/mL
Methamphetamine	50 ng/mL
Oxycodone	40 ng/mL

Note: Benzodiazepine testing in oral fluid is optional and may be included based on workplace policy.

AS/NZS 4308:2023 Urine Screening Cut-off Level

Drug Class	Screening Cut-off
Amphetamine Type Stimulants	300 µg/L
Benzodiazepines	200 µg/L
Cannabis Metabolites (THC)	50 µg/L
Cocaine Metabolites	150 µg/L
Opiates	300 µg/L

Cut-off Levels are Based on Scientific Research and Real-world Testing Conditions

- This ensures workplace drug testing is fair and legally defensible
- Ensures passive exposure (e.g., second-hand cannabis smoke) does not trigger false positives
- Protects employers and employees under a consistent compliance framework

Stay Compliant and Protect Your Workforce

Understanding cut-off levels is essential for organisations to apply policies and procedures correctly, maintain fairness in interpreting results, and provide the right support and education for your workplace.

For employees, education and awareness builds transparency and trust, helping make informed choices about medications or lifestyle factors, and reinforcing that testing is about preventing and safety – not punishing.

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