We always get a lot of interesting questions from our clients. Sometimes these questions lead to meaningful and educational conversations or will even spark the next topic for one of our webinars. Sometimes, we get questions about something as simple as an excuse from one of your donors explaining as to why they might have had positive results on their drug test. Regardless, there is no such thing as a bad question and as a part of our core values here at National Test Systems, we encourage always asking why or how. Drug testing often encounters a myriad of excuses from individuals attempting to explain or justify why their results came back positive. These excuses can range from somewhat plausible to downright amusing. Still, I believe these are worth addressing, not only to be safe but, to know whether or not someone’s explanation is warranted and based on fact, or if they are just trying to pull one over on you. If nothing else, I hope that this can shed a little light on certain myths, true or not, but most importantly the facts about excuses a donor may come up with.
The following entries all have come from actual questions I have received from clients over the years.
Myths VS Facts
1. Second-Hand Marijuana Smoke Causes Positive THC Results
CLAIM: “I went to a concert where people were smoking weed; that must be why my test was positive for THC.”
FALSE: To test positive for THC, a significant amount of the substance must be consumed in a direct manner, meaning to be inhaled or digested directly. Even in an environment, such as small room, with heavy second-hand smoke, the exposure most likely would not be sufficient to produce a detectable amount of THC metabolites in the body. Generally, the rule of thumb is that the individual would have had felt the effects of THC in order to have the amount needed in their system to test positive, but merely being present in a smoke filled environment would not cause a positive test result.
2. Second-Hand Meth Smoke Causes Positive Results
CLAIM: “I am staying at someone else’s house, and they smoke a lot of meth; that must be why my test was positive for methamphetamine.”
FALSE: Similar to the THC myth, passive exposure to methamphetamine smoke is not enough to produce detectable levels of the drug in the body. It requires direct and substantial intake of the substance.
3. Drug Transfer Through Sexual Intercourse
CLAIM: “My significant other uses meth, and we had intercourse; that must be why my test was positive for methamphetamine.”
FALSE: While substances due flow through bodily fluids, there just would not be a significant enough amount in a person’s system, or bloodstream, to be transferred in such a scenario that would cause positive drug test result. Mucous membranes can absorb substances, but the concentration required to test positive far exceeds what would be transferred through intercourse.
4. Occupational Exposure to Alcohol
CLAIM: “I am a bartender, and I get alcohol on my skin and inhale the fumes all night; that must be why my test was positive for EtG (a marker for alcohol consumption).”
FALSE: Handling alcohol or inhaling its fumes is insufficient to elevate someone’s blood-alcohol levels to a detectable amount. To test positive, one would need to elevate their blood-alcohol level to excrete a detectable amount of the alcohol metabolite, EtG.
5. Mouthwash and Hand Sanitizer Use
CLAIM: “I gargle mouthwash/use hand sanitizer obsessively; that must be why my test is positive for EtG.”
FALSE: Although mouthwash and hand sanitizers do contain alcohol, the levels absorbed through gargling or skin contact are too low to result in a positive test for alcohol metabolites.
6. Nyquil and Alcohol
CLAIM: “I drank Nyquil because I have a cold; that must be why my test is positive for EtG.”
FALSE: Although Nyquil does in fact contain alcohol and could very well cause intoxication, the amount in which some one would need to consume in order to cause a positive result for EtG would have to be much more than the recommended amount and would not be normal for a person with a cold.
7. Nyquil, Sleep Aids and Methadone
CLAIM: “I drank Nyquil because I have a cold; that must be why my test is positive for methadone.”
TRUE: Nyquil contains doxylamine, which is known to cause false positive test results in all commercially available drug tests that screen for methadone. Doxylamine is also found in most sleep aids as well, such as Unisom, ZzQuil, and other over-the-counter medications.
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7. Zantac and Methamphetamine
CLAIM: “I took Zantac for my acid reflux; that must be why my test is positive for methamphetamine.”
TRUE: Zantac (ranitidine), an over-the-counter medication used to treat acid reflux, heartburn, and other GI ailments, is known to have caused false positive results on all commercially available drug tests that screen for methamphetamine.
8. Poppy Seeds and Opiates
CLAIM: “I ate a poppy seed bagel; that must be why my test is positive for opiates.”
TRUE: Poppy seeds can contain trace amounts of codeine and morphine, enough to trigger a positive result for opiates. This is a well-documented phenomenon and a valid concern for those undergoing drug testing.
I have done some semi-scientific research on this, and my results can be found on this blog post. The short version is that poppy seeds do contain enough Codeine and/or Morphine to trigger a positive result, just from ingesting these foods. This is an exception to the rule mentioned above, in that one does not necessarily feel the effects of the Opiates in poppy seeds, even if there is a detectable amount in their urine.
Also important to note, is that ingestion of larger quantities of poppy seeds can and will cause Opiate intoxication.
9. Adulteration with Bleach or Visine
CLAIM: “I added bleach/Visine/oxidizing agents to my urine sample; that must be why my test was negative for THC.”
TRUE: Bleach and other oxidizing agents can destroy THC molecules in urine, leading to a false negative result. This is a known and fairly common method of adulteration.
10. Gelatin Consumption and THC
CLAIM: “I drank Sure-Gel; that must be why my test was negative for THC.”
FALSE: This is unfounded with no reliable evidence to support the claim that consuming gelatin products like Sure-Gel can affect THC test results. The body processes toxins through the kidneys and liver, carrying those toxins to the bladder, and consuming gelatin products to coat the bladder in an attempt to minimize levels of THC would have minimal impact on detection of these substances in urine.
Final Thoughts
Drug testing is a complex field with many myths circulating about what can and cannot cause a positive or negative result. Understanding the science behind these tests helps debunk these myths and ensures accurate interpretations of test results. While this showcased just a few “myths” or “excuses” surrounding this topic, it is important to note that there are many more examples of this and probably more yet to be seen or heard of. Donors will sometimes go to great lengths in order to adulterate or “justify” a drug test result and it is crucial for us to recognize these situations so that the best and most appropriate course of action can be taken.
Share your experiences with us! Let us know if you have encountered any other interesting excuses or myths about drug testing.