Drug tests based on urine are frequently required for a variety of reasons, including jobs, schooling, athletics, and legal problems. If you are unable to pass a urine drug test, it may be impossible for you to obtain employment, continue your schooling, or take part in some sporting activities.
There are also times when false positive and false negative findings happen. Here are some things you should know about the most common places where urine drug test marietta fail.
Prescription and OTC Medications
Many routinely used medicines can trigger positive urine drug test results. Prescriptions, over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, and herbal supplements may cross-react with the immunoassay screening test.
Opioid pain relievers, ADHD stimulants, antidepressants, and Benadryl are among the prescription drugs that can cause false positives for illegal substances. Talk to a doctor or testing organization about your medications to find out if you need to do more tests to make sure the failed results are right.
Poppy Seeds and Hemp Products
Eating foods containing poppy seeds just before a urine drug screening could produce results that appear positive for opiate drugs. The seeds contain trace amounts of morphine that can show up on certain urine drug tests. In the same way, CBD oils, hemp foods, and other hemp products may give positive or unclear THC readings that need more testing to rule out marijuana use.
Dehydration and Dilute Urine
When your urine is highly concentrated or diluted, it is more likely to generate an incorrect screening result. Dehydration produces urine with higher waste concentrations. Overly dilute urine has lower than normal waste levels. Labs test urine samples for concentration and dilution. Highly dilute specimens may be considered a failed or refused test by some hospitals or clinics.
The best practice is to drink moderate fluids in the days leading up to testing. Take a home urine drug test to check your urine’s proper concentration before the official test.
Specimen Tampering and Substitution
Trying to alter your urine sample or use substitute urine is risky. Labs check samples for temperature, indicators of contamination, and other evidence of tampering. Substituting synthetic or someone else’s urine is often detected. Adulterating your urine may also fail the drug test and be interpreted as an attempt to obscure drug use.
Explanation for Positive Results of Urine Drug Test
There are situations where a positive urine drug test result is accurate even when no illegal or improper drug use has occurred. Consuming food products like hemp seeds and poppy seed baked goods can trigger false positives.
Workplace or environmental secondhand exposure to marijuana smoke could also accumulate trace THC levels in your body. Always request a confirmation test after any unexpected positive screen. Being prepared to provide a genuine explanation will demonstrate your transparency.
Take Control of Your Testing with Rapid Labs
Avoid the stress of an unexpected urine drug test failure. Schedule a test in advance at Rapid Lab Tests to understand if you will pass or fail before your official screening.
Take steps to avoid false positives. Medication reviews, abstaining from foods that may cause issues, and learning your employment and legal testing rights will help you take control of the process.
FAQs
Can certain foods or drinks cause a failed urine drug test and?
How Long Will Drugs Show in a Urine Test when foods containing poppy seeds and hemp products can lead to positive results for opiates and THC, respectively. Energy drinks and other highly caffeinated beverages may also cause false positives on amphetamine/methamphetamine tests.
What’s the difference between a false positive and a false negative drug test result?
A false positive is when the test incorrectly identifies a substance in your sample that is not actually present. A false negative misses a drug that is present, giving the impression the sample passed when drugs were, in fact, used.
Can using hand sanitizer cause a positive alcohol urine test?
No, the type of alcohol in hand sanitizers does not cause a positive test result for drinking alcohol. EtG urine tests specifically measure ethyl glucuronide produced from metabolizing ethanol. Hand sanitizers use isopropyl alcohol, which does not form EtG.
Why would a lab report a urine sample as dilute?
When urine contains more water and less waste products than normal, labs may report it as dilute or unreadable. Some labs require a certain concentration level to consider results valid. Do not over-hydrate before a drug test.
What happens if the temperature of my sample is too hot or cold?
Most labs verify urine temperature upon arrival to be around 90-100 F. Temperatures outside this range often indicate tampering, such as a substituted or adulterated sample, resulting in a failed or invalid test.
