Different hydrolysis and extraction procedures have been studied for the determination of drugs of abuse in hair samples. The results showed that acid and enzymatic hydrolysis gave high extraction recoveries for 6-monoacetylmorphine, morphine, codeine and heroin. Enzymatic hydrolysis was more expensive. After alkaline hydrolysis, 6-monoacetylmorphine, a unique proof of heroin abuse, could not be detected and after methanolic extraction, the extract was dirty and the obtained chromatogram showed an interfering background. It is concluded that acid hydrolysis is the extraction method of choice.