Baclofen is a muscle relaxant and antispastic medication primarily used to treat muscle spasms, pain, and stiffness. Its presence in the body is generally not detected by standard drug screening panels. These panels typically focus on identifying substances like opioids, benzodiazepines, amphetamines, cocaine, and marijuana. Routine drug tests are not designed to identify baclofen unless specifically requested.
The absence of baclofen from standard drug testing panels stems from several factors. Primarily, baclofen is a prescription medication that, when used as directed, is considered a therapeutic agent rather than a substance of abuse. Furthermore, including baclofen in routine screenings would significantly increase the cost and complexity of drug testing without providing commensurate benefits. This is because the abuse potential of baclofen is considered relatively low compared to other controlled substances.