In the barnett of a man (who will remain unnamed) who applied to the Police Service in Northern Ireland (PSNI), there was no way that he could submit to a hair follicle drug test. He was likewise unable to provide the alternative â about 200 strands of body hair.

Testing using hair samples is considered as more effective and accurate; it can detect drug use over a 90 day period and has a better track record at correct identification of substance abusers. There is a reason why there are various ways through which drug testing can be done â it is so that there can be another way of administering it should one way fail. His baldness prevented him from providing hair samples of up to 3 cm in length.

This led to his rejection from joining the force, even if he was already    at an advanced stage in his application.

We understand, however, the preference of the police force to use hair follicle testing over urine testing. This caused a bit of a problem in his bid to enter the police force, as shared in a feature on.

Itâ not because he does not want to â but because he cannot, being as it were that he was bald.