Ryan Edwards’ Drug Screening Requirements Revealed
Ryan Edwards has found himself back in the news a few times this year after a relatively quiet stretch following his court-ordered rehab stint. Unfortunately for the former Teen Mom: The Next Chapter star, the latest rounds of headlines don’t hint at anything good in his life. A new emergency custody change will keep him away from his two middle children unsupervised, and the judge presiding over the case is taking a hard line on required drug testing.
A judge imposes new requirements on Ryan Edwards after an emergency custody filing
Last week, Mackenzie Standifer was granted emergency temporary custody of her two children, Jagger Edwards and Stella Edwards. The order came roughly a year after a finalized custody agreement restored Ryan’s solo parenting time and granted him overnight stays. While it was initially unclear what caused Mackenzie to file, a fuller picture is now available.
According to court documents obtained by The Ashley’s Reality Roundup Group, there appears to be concern that Ryan, who has a long history of substance abuse, may no longer be sober. According to the document, Judge Kyle Hedrick ruled that Edwards’ children could suffer “immediate and irreparable injury” if custody wasn’t addressed immediately. He is only allowed supervised visitation with the children. He cannot bring them to his home or drive with them. In addition, his wife, Amanda Conner, has been banned from interacting with them.
The judge has also ordered Ryan to undergo fingernail drug testing specifically for kratom. Standifer reportedly brought concerns about Ryan’s use of the once-legal herbal drug to court. The herbal drug, once available in gas stations and smoke shops, binds to opioid receptors in the brain and provides effects similar to those of opioids, though it is not classified as one. Kratom was removed from shelves and became fully illegal in Tennessee on July 1.
What is fingernail drug testing?
The drug testing requirement is not particularly uncommon for parents who have had documented substance abuse issues in the past. What is pretty uncommon is the type of testing ordered. Fingernail testing is not often used. Urine samples are the most common test specimen in such cases.
Unlike the urine tests most people associate with court-ordered drug screening, fingernail testing works by analyzing keratin. As nails grow, substances that have passed into the bloodstream become trapped in the nail’s fibers, layer by layer, creating a forensic record of drug use. Because nails grow slowly, this method can detect substances used months earlier, far beyond the typical window of urine testing. Urine testing is generally limited to a few days to a month, depending on the drug used.
As the judge noted during the hearing, they are testing “for the longest scientifically supported lookback period.” Fingernail testing tends to be reserved for situations where courts want a longer-range or more tamper-resistant alternative to hair or urine testing.
Ryan Edwards’ substance abuse history
Mackenzie Standifer’s request does not come as a surprise to Teen Mom fans who have watched Ryan Edwards’ addiction issues play out on-camera and in the headlines. He has had several drug-related arrests and spent time in rehab, often court-ordered, over the years.
In 2023, he was arrested for probation violations after a drug-fueled spiral that ultimately ended his marriage to Mackenzie. He had previously pleaded guilty to driving under the influence. Ryan spent time in a court-ordered rehab before being transferred to a halfway house that year. Since then, he’s insisted he has maintained his sobriety, returned to work, both as a mechanic and on MTV, and remarried and welcomed a fourth child. While it’s unclear if that has changed, the extreme nature of the drug testing requirements is certainly raising eyebrows.
