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Drug Testing FAQ v4.12
Archive-name: drugs/drug-testing
Posting-Frequency: monthly
Last-modified: 1998/3/15
Version: 4.12
URL: http://www.csun.edu/~hbcsc096/dt
Fooling the Bladder Cops
(Frequently Wanted Information on how to beat drug tests)
by Justin Gombos
INTRODUCTION
During a job interview, have you ever been asked to piss for your new employer?
New applicants for many of the Fortune 500 corporations are now being forced
to take a drug test. In fact, 15 million will be tested this year. Drug byproducts
can be detected in urine, blood, hair, external residue, and even perspiration!
Drugs aren't the only things they test for; employers are using urinalysis to
test women for pregnancy. Pregnant women are getting laid off or denied employment
after taking such a test. Parents are spying on their children. The DOD Directive
requires the military to screen all active duty members annually. If you don't
want to be a victim of the drug war, this text will help you. If you are well known,
this text may protect your reputation. I strongly recommended that drug users
(pot smokers in particular) read this. Other drugs are covered as well, but
marijuana is the main focus of this paper.
CONTENTS
1. DETECTION TIMES 1.1 Halflife of TetraHydroCannabinol 1.2 Detection times of several drugs 1.3 Positive (definition) 1.3.1 Second hand smoke and positives 1.4 Decreasing detection times 2. TEST METHODS 2.1 Substances that are detectable 2.2 DrugAlert 2.3 Gas Chromatography 2.4 Gas Chromatography / Mass Spectrometry 2.5 Hair testing 2.6 High Performance Liquid Chromatography 2.7 Immunoassay 2.7.1 Radio ImmunoAssay (aka Abuscreen) 2.7.2 Enzyme Multiplied Immunoassay Technique 2.7.3 Fluorescence Polarization ImmunoAssay 2.8 PharmChek 2.9 TestCup 2.10 Thin Layer Chromatography 3. TEST STANDARDS AND ACCURACY 3.1 Procedures used 3.2 False positives 3.2.1 Ibuprofen 3.2.2 Cold remedies, pain relievers, hay fever remedies, & diet pills 3.2.3 Antibiotics 3.2.4 Melanin (black skin) 3.2.5 DHEA 3.2.6 Dental treatment 3.3 True positives (legitimate) 3.3.1 Poppy seeds 3.3.2 Testosterone supplements 4. A NOTE ON COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS 5. THINGS TESTED TO DETECT COUNTER MEASURES 5.1 Color 5.2 Temperature 5.3 Creatinine 5.4 pH 5.5 Specific gravity 5.6 Age 5.7 Gender 6. PRODUCING CLEAN URINE 6.1 Dilution 6.1.1 Water 6.1.2 Creatinine level 6.1.3 Vitamin B 6.2 Diuretics 6.2.1 Ultimate Blend (c) (was Test Free) 6.2.2 Detoxify Carbo Clean (c) 6.2.3 Naturally Klean Herbal Tea (c) 6.2.4 Goldenseal 6.2.5 Certa or Certo 6.2.6 Vales Original Formula 6.2.7 Lasix 6.3 Vinegar 6.4 Dexatrim 6.5 Fiber 6.6 Vitamin lecithin 6.7 How to give a clean sample 6.8 Exercise 6.9 Beta-2 agonists 6.10 Beta-3 agonists 6.11 Low dosaging 7. DRUG SCREENS 7.1 Drug screens that work 7.1.1 Aspirin 7.2 Drug screens that do not work 7.2.1 Goldenseal 7.2.2 Niacin 7.2.3 Zinc sulfate 7.3 Untested drug screens 7.3.1 Puri-Blend (c) 7.3.2 The Stuff (c) 8. DOPING SAMPLES 8.1 Effective additives 8.1.1 Bleach 8.1.2 Klear (c) 8.1.3 Water 8.2 Ineffective additives 8.2.1 Ammonia 8.2.2 Blood 8.2.3 Draino 8.2.4 Goldenseal 8.2.5 Hydrogen peroxide 8.2.6 Lemon juice 8.2.7 Liquid soap 8.2.8 Mary Jane's SuperClean 13 (c) 8.2.9 Purifyit (c) 8.2.10 Sodium nitrate 8.2.11 Table salt 8.2.12 UrinAid (c) 8.2.13 Vinegar 8.2.14 Visine 8.2.15 WD40 8.3 Untested additives 8.3.1 Papain 9. SUBSTITUTION 9.1 Substitution methods 9.1.1 Concealed container 9.1.2 Injection 9.1.3 Catheterization 9.2 Where to get clean urine 9.2.1 Urine from a donor 9.2.2 Powdered urine 9.2.2.1 Making your own powdered urine 9.2.3 Dog urine 10. STEALING URINE 11. IF YOU FAIL THE TEST 12. WHO DRUGTESTS? 12.1 Which companies test, and which don't? 13. POLITICS AND ETHICS OF DRUG TESTING 14. ABOUT THE AUTHOR 14.1 Contacting the author 15. FOOTNOTES 16. SOURCES 16.1 Contributors 16.2 Works cited 16.3 For more information 16.3.1 Drug testing consultants on the net 16.3.2 Drug testing mailing list 16.3.3 Sites 16.3.4 Newsgroups 17. DISTRIBUTION RULES
(c) indicates that the item is a commercial product.
1. DETECTION TIMES
Drug tests detect drugs as well as metabolites. Metabolites are the
byproducts of a substance after it has run through your system. To
determine whether you will pass or not, it is important to know how much of
the illicit metabolites are in your urine and how much is tested for. Table
1.2 will give you an approximation; however, it varies depending on a
number of factors. Testing method and levels tested for are major factors.
1.1 Halflife of TetraHydraCannabinol
The halflife of THC concentration ranges between 0.8 to 9.8 days. There
is too much human variation to even approximate how long THC will be detected
in the urine of an individual.
Infrequent users with a fast metabolism will have the shortest detection time.
Frequent users with a slow metabolism will have long detection times. The only
way to estimate a detection time is to consider the lower and upper bounds (3-30
days), and decide based on the factors I've mentioned.
1.2 Detection times of several drugs
[TABLE 1.2]
Approximate Detection Time
Drug in Urine using EMIT
--------------------------------- ----------------------------
Amphetamines 2-4 days
Barbituates
Short-Acting (ie. secobarbital) 1 day
Long-Acting (ie. phenobarbital) 2-3 weeks
Benzodiazepines 3-7 days
Cannabinoids 3-30 days
Clenbuterol [PE] 2-4 days [F1]
Cocaine 2-4 days
Codeine 2-5 days
Euphorics (MDMA,psilocybin) 1-3 days [F2]
LSD 1-4 days [F6]
Methadone 3-5 days
Methaqualone 14 days
Nicotine ? [F5]
Opiates 2-4 days
Peptide hormones [PE] undetectable
Phencyclidine (PCP) 2-4 days [F4]
Phenobarbital 10-20 days
Propoxyphene 6 hours to 2 days
Steroids (anabolic) [PE] oral: 14 days [F3]
parenterally: 1 month [F3]
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
[PE] Performance Enhancers
[F1] 0.5 ng/mL by GC/MS
[F2] By RIA and GC/MS only. Not Detectable by EMIT.
[F3] By HPLC, RIA, and GC/MS. Not Detectable by EMIT.
[F4] 8-14 days as was reported in earlier versions and was incorrect.
[F5] No data available yet. I expect the detection time to be long
because nicotine is fat soluble.
[F6] Detectable by EMIT and RIA, but rarely tested. A lab will only
test for LSD when specifically requested.
Note:
Detection times vary depending on analytical method used, drug
metabolism, tolerance, patient's condition, fluid intake and method
and frequency of ingestion. These are general guidelines only.
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
Try to call in sick on test day to delay one more day if possible; it will help.
Other factors determining degree of intoxication include metabolism,
tolerance, frequency of intake, fluid intake, amount of marijuana, potency
of marijuana, and length of time you've been a user. If you use marijuana
on rare occasions, your urine may be clean of metabolites in less than a week.
There is a common and strange phenomena that occurs with chronic
users. You would expect a chronic user to have the longest detection time
and the smallest chance of passing. This is not always the case. A
chronic user with a high tolerance will eliminate drugs quicker than an
occasional user. Chronic users have tested negative after a week long binge.
Lipid tissue also makes a huge difference. Skinny users not only
have a faster metabolism (usually), but also lack storage for THC
metabolites. Fat will cause a lag in excretion pattern, and lead to a
longer detection time.
You should now be able to understand why an
individuals detection time for THC is so unpredictable. Please don't post
or e-mail a question "how long will it take..." This is the single
most frequently asked question. Many people can't even begin to estimate a
detection for their own bodys, let alone the unseen, unknown body of a lost
internet explorer.
There is an inaccurate program that will plot a graph of time versus percentage of THC in your system given the days you've smoked. The program is called CALC_THC.EXE and can be found on the internet. CALC_THC cannot possibly be accurate because it doesn't have any way of measuring the potentcy of the weed, and it leaves metabolism out of the equation. (see 14.2.3)
1.3 Positive (defined)
50 nanograms of THC metabolites per milliliter defines a "presumptive
positive" by NIDA certified labs. This value was originally 20 ng/mL, but
too many false positives resulted. So the level was raised to 100 ng/mL to reduce
false positives. As of January 1995, the threshold was lowered back down to
50 ng/mL because drinking water would easily bring a positive below 100 ng.
Be aware that these cutoffs are not universally consistent. I recently heard
of a lab using a 15 ng/mL cutoff!
Following is a table for cutoffs of other drugs:
[TABLE 1.3] DRUG SCREENING CUTOFF GC/MS CUTOFF ----------------------- ------------------- -------------- Amphetamines Class 500 500 Amphetamine 500 Methamphetamine 200 Barbituates 200 100 Cocaine 150 150 Marijuana 50 15 Opiates 300 Codeine 300 Morphine 300 Phenyclidine 25 25 All cutoff levels are in nanograms/mL
1.3.1 Passive smoke and positives: "Second hand marijuana smoke in a car can cause you to fail the next day" (Nightbyrd). It is possible that second hand [marijuana] smoke will raise someone to the 50 ng/mL level; however, *extreme* exposure is required. For instance, a closed car full of pot smokers and a non-smoker may render the non-smoker positive for both urinalysis and the hair test, provided that they are sealed in the car for a while. The Army did a case study where volunteers were put in a room pumped full of smoke for an hour, five time daily. Subjects started testing positive after the second day. The non-smoker would have to take in virtually as much second hand smoke as a smoker. Non-smokers are safe in a ventilated area, as long as they don't get a hair test. According to Clinton, simply blowing crack smoke on ones hair may cause a positive hair test. Second hand pot smoke doesn't affect the hair test results as much as crack smoke does mainly because exhaled smoke contains no THC. The only pot smoke that contains THC is the smoke that hasn't entered the lungs.
1.4 Decreasing detection times
Increasing metabolism is probably the most effective way to decrease the
time period that drugs can be detected in your system. Physical activity can
increase your metabolic rate as much as two thousand percent! Nothing beats
proper training taken to an extreme. A high calorie diet is the next best way
to increase metabolism.
Consuming mass quantities of high calorie food will increase metabolic rate
by up to 10 percent. On the contrary, a malnutritious (light) diet could lower
your metabolism by 10 percent. Speed (the drug) will also increase metabolism.
Unfortunately, labs usually test for speed, and could get you into trouble.
So exercise with intensity, and eat big.
2.TEST METHODS
There are four types of urine tests, a hair test, a perspiration test, and a residue test. Before continuing, I must say that this text mainly applies to urinalysis. However, I try to cover methods for beating all drug tests.
It would be helpful if people could somehow find out which test they are
getting ahead of time. Though caution must be taken. Asking your boss
whether you're getting an EMIT or GC/MS would imply that you know too much,
or seem too curious. The law doesn't protect you from unjust hiring
practices, and your boss to be may refuse you employment for any reason.
If simply drinking a cup of water makes the boss feel uncomfortable, the
verdict may be guilty before you even take the test.
2.1 Substances that are detectable
An assay can be developed for any drug using GC/MS. The table below indicates
what can be dectected in screening tests.
[TABLE 2.1]
EMIT RIA HPLC
------------------------ ------ ------ ------
Amphetamines Y Y
Antidepressants Y .
Barbituates Y Y
Benzodiazepines Y Y
Cannabinoids Y Y
Carbamazepine Y .
Cocaine Y .
Ethanol Y .
LSD . Y
Methadone Y .
Morphine . Y
N-Acetylprocainamide Y .
Opiates Y .
PCP . Y
Phenobarbital Y .
Propoxyphene Y .
Steroids . Y Y
Theophylline Y .
Y = detectable
. = not detectable
(blank) = unknown
2.2 DrugAlert
DrugAlert is a $19.95 home test kit enabling parents to test their
children. This is the most inaccurate test being used, and it's also the newest.
The test kit is a small brown pad giving off an Oxy pad odor. The [uninformed]
parent wipes the child's clothes, books, and anything belonging to the child.
Then the pad is sent to Barringer Technologies via mail. (Note that it's a felony
to send controlled substances through the mail. If the sample is positive, Barringer
Technologies is knowingly urging parents to break the law). The lab puts the
pad in a microwave looking machine, which detects residue from seven different
illicit drugs. The child fails the test if s/he uses drugs, or unknowingly comes
in casual contact with a drug user. Simply borrowing a pencil from a classmate
that uses drugs will pass enough residue to render a positive test and an angry
parent. When we have statistics like - 90% of all paper currency shows traces
of cocaine, this test kit is quite foolish. Your only defense is to continually
clean everything you touch with disinfectants.
2.3 Gas Chromatography: Defined by Thein and Landry
Gas chromatography uses a separation technique to divide the urine extracts
into the component parts. An inert gas carries the urine through chromatographic
columns, and the samples are separated by their boiling temperature and by their
affinity for the column.
Compounds are identified by separation time, called retention time. The retention
time is unique and reproducible for each drug in a given chromotographic column.
2.4 Gas Chromatography / Mass Spectrometry: Defined by Thein and Landry:
The most precise procedure for detection of banned substances is a
combination of GC and MS. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry is
a two-step process, where GC separates the sample into its
constituent parts, while MS provides the exact molecular
identification of the compounds. Compounds are separated by GC
and are then introduced, one at a time, into a mass spectrometer.
As the sample constituents enter the MS, they are bombarded by
electrons, which cause the compound to break up into molecular
fragments. The fragmentation pattern is reproducible and
characteristic, and is considered the "molecular-fingerprint" of a
specific compound. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry is
considered to be the most definitive method for confirming the
presence of a drug in the urine and is approximately 100 to 1,000
times more sensitive than TLC. Selective ion monitoring has been
used to improve the GC/MS results. This procedure is the most
costly, averaging approximately $200 per sample to test.
The GC/MS is typically used to confirm "positive" EMIT test results. GC/MS will indicate precisely what chemical is present. This is necessary because the EMIT will only indicate whether something similar to what's being tested was found. The GC/MS is difficult and more costly, which is why the EMIT is given first. (Hewlett Packard produces the GC/MS equipment, including computer, for about $50-75k depending on options.) Abstinence and substitution are the only ways to defeat the GC/MS test. GC/MS is very precise when done right. However, it's still subject to human error. For example, if the equipment isn't cleaned well, the previous test sample could get mixed with the next sample. According to Dr. Edward Cone, the GC/MS is 99 percent accurate; not very accurate on a large scale when you realize that 10 thousand out of every million will get false results. (more on accuracy in section 3).
2.5 Hair testing
When THC metabolites are in the blood, they go through the blood vessels
in the head, and get filtered through the hair. THC metabolites remain in the
hair as a permanent record. The hair test costs several hundred dollars ($150-$300)
and is rarely given because urinalysis is cheaper (approximately $65) and more
accurate. (The hair test equipment and setup goes for over a million). According
to Jeff Nightbyrd, hair tests are "widely used in the casino industry."
They cut 50 strands of hair from the scalp, and send it in to the testing lab
where they liquefy it. "A hair sample is disolved in a series of solvents
which extract the drug metabolites and then are analyzed via GC/MS." It
can take several hours to days just to extract metabolites. Average hair grows
1/4 inch per month. Typically they just use hair one and a half inches from
the scalp; though some labs will take enough to test for up to 3 years. The
liquid is run through the most sensitive GC/MS machines available, and can detect
as little as 1 ng/mL! The hair test discriminates in that detection is easier
in dark hair. Colored people may be discriminated against further because melanin
is in their hair, which can be mistaken for THC. However, there is conflicting
data as to whether melanin can be detected as THC.
Psychemedics Corporation has a PDT90 kit for $75. This home test kit is for
parents that want to chop off a lock of their child's hair to find out what
drugs s/he is using. Kids- lock your bedroom doors at night if your parents
don't trust your judgment on the drug issue.
Beating the hair test is extremely hard, and there are false positives.
Bleaching or dying your hair is rumored to work, but it doesn't. I imagine
you can shave every hair on your body and claim that you're a swimmer.
According to NORML, Aloe Rid by Nexus is a shampoo that will aid in testing
negative. Aloe Rid is available only in salons. Healthy Hair, from Sampson
Health Products, is another shampoo designed to beat the hair test.
Healthy Hair is sold in retail stores throughout Las Vegas. Keith Thrash
from Sampson Health Products reccommends precleansing with Aloe Rid prior
to using Healthy Hair. Healthy Hair is used in the morning and before
going to bed. Each session takes 20 minutes. According to Steve at
Sampson Health Products, two out of a thousand people failed the hair test
when using Healthy Hair. Byrd Labs is currently developing a shampoo to
defeat the hair test. Some have suggested treating hair with oil because
THC is oil based and oil soluble. However, there is no proven way to beat
the hair test, so it's all heresay and guessing at this point. (If anyone
has any success with the shampoos or the swimmer excuse, please let me
know). Swimming and washing your hair removes toxins, and Keith Thrash
recommends doing both as much as possible. Fortunately, the hair test
cannot be used alone as evidence because there are no forensic standards.
It can only be used when substantiated by other evidence. Also, there are
no intoxication standards. I believe if you tested positive for the hair
test that you would probably have a good chance of fighting it.
(BlockBuster Video uses the most up-to-date equipment, and passing such a
test can be difficult). It takes several months of precleansing to beat
the tests given by Psychemedics.
2.6 High Performance Liquid Chromatography: Usually used to detect
anabolic steroids. Defined by Thein and Landry
High-performance liquid chromatography is similar to GC, except a liquid
carries the sample through the chromotographic columns and the columns are not
placed in a heated compartment.
High-performance liquid chromatography is both sensitive and specific, and it
is simpler and faster than GC. Gas chromatography and HPLC are reliable methods
for screening, and they allow for simultaneous determination of a wide variety
of different compounds. High-performance liquid chromatography is used to screen
for urinary caffeine levels and has been used to confirm the positive results
obtained from other screening techniques. Some steroids can be analyzed with
this technique, whereas HPLC and GC lack appropriate sensitivity to detect beta-adrenergic
blockers.
2.7 ImmunoAssay
This procedure is best described in Thein and Landry's word's:
Immunoassays use antigen-antibody interactions to detect illegal substances.
Antibodies that bind selectively to certain drugs or drug metabolites are chosen,
and the sensitivity and the specificity of this test are only as good as the
antibody chosen. The binding is proportional to the amount of drug in the urine
and can be detected through enzymes, radioisotopes, or fluorescent compounds.
With this technique, very small amounts of drug can be detected in a very small
amount of urine, although this test may not differentiate between specific drugs
within a class of drugs.
Immunoassay has yielded false-positive results with some decongestants and nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs.
Radiommunoassay (RIA) and fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) are specific
IA techniques currently being used. Radioimmunoassay can detect some 17 alpha-methyl,
17 alpha-ethyl, and 19-nortestosterone steroids despite its low specificity.
Immunoassay is both more sensitive and more specific than TLC.
2.7.1 Radio ImmunoAssay (aka AbuScreen): "Of all the screening methods . . . (EMIT, TLC, RIA), RIA is the best method available." The RIA test is applied the same way as the EMIT. "The only difference btw RIA and EMIT is that RIA uses radioactive iodine as the detection mechanism rather than an enzyme NAD/NADH rxn which is detected by a scintillation counter" (anon1). The scintillation counter is used to measure the amount of radioactive particles present. Radioactivity is inversely proportional to metabolite level. RIA tests are a little more sensitive than the EMIT, and harder to beat. The most known user of the RIA test is the US government; in particular, the US military. The EMIT is more common because RIA produces radioactive waste, and radioactive waste is difficult to deal with. The US government uses RIA because a "company gives the government the instrumentation free in exchange for buying their reagents (reagent rental contract)." Some non-government labs use the RIA, so don't be surprized if your pre-employment screening is a RIA rather than an EMIT.
2.7.2 Enzyme Multiplied Immunoassay Technique: The EMIT is
the cheapest, easiest to perform, and most common; also the easiest to fail.
It's the easiest to pass if you're well informed (ie. reading this text). Most
pre-employment screens will give you the EMIT first; though some businesses
will surprise you with a GC/MS test up front (discussed later).
Unfortunately, there is no standard procedure to expect. (One who has read
this file and is well informed may still fail because of the random nature
of drug testing labs.) If you don't know which urinalysis will be
administered, focus on beating the EMIT. If you pass the EMIT, you're off
the hook. If you fail the EMIT, they'll give you the confirmation GC/MS
test, which is extremely sensitive. Lewis Maltby, director of the
Workplace Rights Office, said the EMIT test is wrong 25 to 30 percent of
the time.
2.7.3 Fluorescence Polarization ImmunoAssay: No information yet available on this test.
2.8 PharmChek
A band-aid type patch is worn for a week or more to absorb perspiration.
If illicit drugs are used during the time the sweat patch is worn, the patch
will be positive when the lab tests it. The patch has a tamper-proof design
- no thanks to 3M, who manufactures the patches. (Don't sweat it; we'll find
a way to tamper with the silly patch :)
PharmChem Laboratories Inc. created the patch, and got market approval from
the FDA. The FDA permitted the patch for detecting cocaine, amphetamines, and
opiates. They are working on getting FDA clearance to use the patch to test
for marijuana and PCP. The FDA already gave permission to use it in the workplace.
PharmChem will sell the patch to law enforcement and drug rehabilitation agencies
in 1996. Accuracy of the sweat patch remains unknown. No one has disclosed any
information reguarding how inaccurate this test is. Bad lab procedure is a very
big problem in the testing industry, and it's hard to tell how prone to human
error the sweat patch test is.
2.9 TestCup
No details available yet. This new test by Roche involves urinating into
a cup, where the cup has an indicator on the side displaying what drugs are
positive.
2.10 Thin Layer Chromatography
TLC "involves adding solvent to urine to extract drugs and then comparing
color spots on a TLC plate to that of a standard" (Nightbyrd). Accuracy
is very poor, and this test is rarely used. A TLC kit called ToxiLab is available.
This kit has been abandoned for the most part, since EMIT has been improved.
Fortunately, it's not used for confirmation anymore. Thein and Landry's definition:
Thin-layer chromatography testing is based on the differences in the migration rate of various substances through a porous supporting medium. The degree of migration and the color are characteristic of certain drugs. Thin-layer chromatography can demonstrate the presence of a drug, but this procedure cannot specify the quantity of drug present. This technique is both time consuming and nonspecific, and provides only a positive or negative response. Thin-layer chromatography is capable of detecting only a limited number of substances 12 to 24 hours after ingestion, resulting in a high number of false-negative results.
3. TEST STANDARDS AND ACCURACY
The accuracy of drug testing is an area where I've decided to neglect all statistics. Those who oppose drug testing provide numbers indicating a high level of false positives. Those who favor drug testing provide numbers indicating high levels of accuracy. The fact is that accuracy varies widely from lab to lab. Generally speaking, NIDA labs are accurate.
Clinton writes:
NIDA (The National Institute of Drug Abuse) is the government
organization responsible for regulating the drug-testing industry.
The vast majority of urine drug screens done these days conform to
NIDA specs, and ALL testing associated with the government
(department of transportation, etc.) complies with the NIDA
standard. It is NIDA that decides what the "safe" cutoffs are to
avoid false positives....
Despite what you might hear on the net, urinalysis, if done
correctly, is a very accurate scientific procedure. I know of no
labs that simply report the results of the initial EMIT screening
without confirming the sample on GC/MS. The fact is, labs WANT
you to test negative, because then they only have to run an EMIT
test on your urine (a few cents). If you test positive, they must
then confirm the positive result on GC/MS, which is considerably
more expensive. . . . Incidentally, the machine which tests the hair
is a relative of the GC/MS, but is FAR more precise. It can
accurately detect levels of THC in a solution that are below 1
ng/mL!
CAP (College of American Pathologists) also certifies laboratories the way NIDA does. NIDA keeps it's labs in check by sending positive and negative double-blind samples. Lab personnel does not know what samples came from NIDA. If the lab results are wrong, NIDA may take away the labs certification. Only labs that perform the GC/MS on site can be NIDA certified. Labs that send samples to another laboratory for GC/MS confirmation are ineligible for NIDA certification. "Drug testing when done properly with all required controls and confirmation procedures is very accurate and reliable" (anon1).
Not all labs are NIDA/CAP certified. Some labs do not properly and thoroughly clean the GC/MS equipment. Some labs don't even do a GC/MS confirmation! Some labs use cheap alternative methods to reduce expenses.
Many human errors occur in labs and cause inaccurate results. Some are careless or irresponsible errors, and some errors are accidents. Human error can ruin the results of ANY test, screening or confirmation GC/MS.
The only lab you should be concerned with is the one that is testing you. Only Federal jobs require NIDA standards. Your typical private employer may use any lab s/he chooses, which would very likely be the least expensive. Businesses don't always choose NIDA labs that follow-up a positive screening test with a confirmation GC/MS.
3.1 Procedures used
In the workplace, an EMIT screening is typically used, with a CG/MS
confirmation if the EMIT is positive. However, this is not a rule; employers
can, and some do, use unusual procedures. Some employers use the RIA, and some
use the hair test. The government uses RIA. They may or may not supervise the
subject. Olympic athletes must be monitored by courier after a competition.
The courier stays with the athlete until the athlete urinates, with a time frame
of up to sixty minutes.
3.2 False positives
No laboratory process is completely free from error.
The GC/MS test is virtually error free, but the EMIT is far from accurate. There
are some false positives you should avoid if you're getting an EMIT test. Take
this seriously; false positives run high. If you know that there will be a GC/MS
confirmation test, you can disregard this section. It would be too lengthy to
list all of the false positives here. Jeff Nightbyrd's "Conquering the
Urine Tests" pamphlet lists a majority of the false positives in detail.
(If you are clean, want to get back at the testing industry for conducting these
absurd tests, and know that there will be a confirmation test, you could consume
several false positives. This would force labs to pay for the high priced GC/MS
test, eventually drive up test expenses. You will still pass the test as long
as you didn't use any true positives.)
3.2.1 Ibuprofen: Ibuprofen is a common pain reliever that (even in low dosages) used to cause a false THC positive on the EMIT test. The EMIT has been changed to use a different enzyme to eliminate false positives due to Ibuprofen. Ibuprofen in very high doses will still interfere with both the EMIT and the GC/MS. There is some conflicting data here because some sources say that the GC/MS tests can distinguish between Ibuprofen and THC (as well as other over-the-counter drugs).
3.2.2 Cold remedies, pain relievers, hay fever remedies, & diet pills: Decongestants and diet pills result in false positives for amphetamine use in one third of the test samples given to 40 of the countries leading laboratories. There are roughly 300 over-the-counter drugs that cause false positives on the EMIT.
3.2.3 Antibiotics: Certain antibiotics (like Amoxicillin) are claimed to cause a positive for heroin or cocaine. My expert source was unable to verify this, so I regret that there is some uncertainty here.
3.2.4 Melanin (black skin): Melanin is the brown pigment that protects your skin from UV rays. It was raised as a discrimination issue in the 1980's, and argued that melanin's molecular structure is similar to that of a THC metabolite. Subsequent research revealed flaws in the data. Melanin was found to have no effect on THC metabolite testing.
3.2.5 DHEA: DHEA taken by AIDS patients will cause a false positive for anabolic steroid use.
3.2.6 Dental treatment: Caine products (like novacaine) used in dentistry have been known to cause false positives for cocaine.
3.3 True positives (legitimate)
Some legal products actually contain small amounts of illegal chemicals. All
tests, including the GC/MS, will test you positive because the metabolites derived
from the true positive are identical to the metabolites of the illegal drugs.
One exception: poppy seeds will not cause a positive GC/MS (explained below).
3.3.1 Poppy seeds: Poppy seeds, usually on breads, contain traces of morphine, and lead to positives for opiates. According to Dr. Grow, eating a pastry filled with poppy seeds will bring results showing that you are a *high level* opiate user. Harold Crossley, a nationally known chemical dependency expert, said you would have to eat 100 poppy seed bagels to score a positive on a drug test. When taken into account that very few poppy seeds are sprinkled on bagels, you can see that poppy seeds from a hundred poppy seed bagels will easily fill a single large pastry. Purim cookies, a Jewish food known as Hamantashen, may have five to six tablespoons of poppy seeds. A couple Purim cookies may cause a positive test. Poppy seeds can be distinguished from illicit drugs on the GC/MS test. Although poppy seeds have the same metabolites as opium, these metabolites are shown to have different patterns when viewed with the GC/MS.
3.3.2 Testosterone supplements: Orchic extract (found in bull's balls) will give a positive for anabolic steroid use. It is a legitimate substance that causes the test to imply that you abuse steroids.
4. A NOTE ON COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS
There are commercial and household products that will help you pass the test. Some people are object to commercial products because they "are just trying to cash in on the War on Drugs." They also charge high prices and water alone tends to work for most. Also, be aware that Texas outlawed products with the sole purpose of creating negative results on urine tests.
I have put a (c) next to the commercial products to indicate that they are developed specifically for beating the test. Those of you that oppose them or reside in Texas can skip items with a (c).
Ignore money-back guarantees. Companys that suck in thousands of High Times readers make so much, that a few returns from motivated users are insignificant. People could even get away with offering a money-back guarentee for Goldenseal because all the water that people drink with Goldenseal causes most of them to pass. Some companys don't keep their word. A urinator who tested positive sent the lab results back, only to be told that marijuana is illegal. He was not even compensated for buying a failing product.
5. THINGS TESTED TO DETECT COUNTER MEASURES
Laboratories know how easy it is to tamper with urine samples and alter the results. Labs often do tests to find out if the sample is legitimate.
5.1 Color
If a urine sample looks clear, the lab will suspect that it's watered down.
They can't report it as positive, but they may reject the sample and inform
your employer that you tried to beat the test. If this happens, the sample might
as well be positive, because you won't get hired.
Take vitamin B complex to color your urine yellow.
5.2 Temperature
Urine should be between 91 and 97 degrees. NIDA certified labs will verify temperature.
If it isn't, they will suspect you added water to the cup, or used substitution.
Disposable pocket hand warmers (sold in department stores) will keep a urine
sample warm, provided that the urine is in a condom or douche bag.
5.3 Creatinine
Creatinine is a substance produced by vertebrates, and it shows up in urine.
If someone substitutes their urine with something other than urine, like Mountain
Dew, they will test negative for drugs. The testee will most likely not get
away with it because Mountain Dew contains zero creatinine, and labs test creatinine
levels to ensure that the sample is valid. Creatinine levels drop below normal
when people dilute their urine. This tests to ensure that the subject didn't
drink unusual amounts of water. An *accurate* creatinine "clearance"
test would require a urine and blood test 24 hours before the drug test to determine
the normal creatinine level for that individual. This is almost never done.
You should still be cautious because they do often use the inaccurate method
of comparing your creatinine level during the drug test to an average. Eating
foods rich in protein like red meat will slightly increase creatinine levels.
There is no significant variation between vegatarians and armavors, so the effect
protein has is little. Sexual activity also raises creatinine levels. I doubt
sexual activity influences creatinine level with much significance. However,
a vegetarian that doesn't have much sex should be concerned. People who are
drug-free sometimes lose their jobs for having too low of a creatinine level.
5.4 pH
pH is often changed when people spike their sample with household products.
Use caution when doping urine, pH is usually tested.
5.5 Specific gravity
An unusual specific gravity indicates that a sample has been tampered
with.
5.6 Age
Age can not be tested using urine. There is a rumor that approximate age can
be detected in urine, and is tested in medical insurance exams. It's a myth.
5.7 Gender
Gender cannot be tested either. As with age, there is a rumor that gender can
be detected in urine, and is tested in medical insurance exams. It's another
myth. It may be argued that a pregnancy test can be used to detect the gender
of the urine provider, but the same test is used to detect prostate cancer in
males.
6. PRODUCING CLEAN URINE
THC is fat soluble, and it gets stored in your fat cells. Cleaning it out of your lipid tissue is very difficult. Many herbal products claim to clean out your system, yet they do nothing to remove THC byproducts from fat cells. A study was done in Germany in 1993 on 50 of the most common herbs used by people trying to pass the test. All 50 herbs failed to cause a negative. Unfortunately, this rumor will not die. Goldenseal (plant) is useless; yet it's the most common thing for people to use. The only way to extract THC from fat cells is to exercise (5.8). Fat cells secrete fat with THC metabolites at a constant rate, regardless of what herbs you consume. You may be able to temporarily clean THC metabolites from your bloodstream, or dilute your fluids to yield a larger urine/THC ratio, but your bloodstream will continue collecting THC metabolites from fat. Your urine will continue collecting THC metabolites from your bloodstream.
6.1 Dilution
Hyper saturating your body with fluids will dilute metabolites possibly below
the 50 ng/mL threshold, depending on your metabolism. Be aware that creatinine
levels are often tested, and will show that the sample has been diluted. Diluting
your sample will also produce clear urine, with virtually no yellow color. They
will assume that you've diluted your sample, and they may reject your sample
on the basis of color alone. It's only necessary to start drinking just before
the test.
Those who drown themselves in fluid days before a test are only causing unnecessary
discomfort. Those who stay up all night drinking don't have any better chance
than one who drinks heavily first thing in the morning.
Get up early if the test is early, but don't lose sleep over a test that's given
in the daytime.
6.1.1 Water: Drink at least eight hefty glasses of fluid (preferably water) just prior to the test. Many people start drinking water several days before the test; which is useless. Water does *not* clean any THC metabolites out of your system because THC is not water soluble. Water only dilutes urine temporarily. Do not over do it; you can get water intoxication. People can actually overdose and even die from water intoxication. It's very hard to do, and you'll vomit before anything gets serious.
6.1.2 Creatinine level: Eating red meat will boost creatinine levels. If you eat a lot of red meat for the 3 days prior to the test, your creatinine level will be normal, and the lab won't know that you've diluted your urine sample.
6.1.3 Vitamin B: Color your sample yellow by taking 50 to 100 milligrams of vitamin B. Many vitamins will work, but B-2 or B-12 (found in B-complex vitamins) are the most effective, though some will argue that vitamin C is better. This will also help if you plan to dope your sample (section 7). This does not guarantee that dilution will work. Diluted samples have been red-flagged when specific gravity and creatinine levels are tested and below normal. If you're taking vitamins at the last minute, check to see if they're time release. If so, crush it up and consume the powder. Coloring your urine isn't all that important because it's normal for people to have clear urine even when they don't consume much fluid.
6.2 Diuretics
Diuretics make people urinate frequently. Coffee, cranberry juice,
beer, iced tea, herbal tea, and Pepsi are all good diuretics. Grapes are known
to be very good diuretics. Diuretics without caffeine or alcohol are recommended
because caffeine and alcohol have negative side effects. Cranberry juice is
also the cheapest. Avoid salts. Herbal diuretics do better than home remedies
like juices.
6.2.1 Ultimate Blend (c): This product used to be known as Test Free, but the name was changed. Ultimate Blend is a diuretic designed for the test, but works no better than other diuretics. Ultimate Blend is sold by Zydot Unlimited Inc.
6.2.2 Detoxify Carbo Clean (c): This is a very new product, untested by a third party. It claims to absorb toxins, however, experts say that absorbing THC metabolites from fat cells is impossible. Here is a copy of the ad from Party Hut Enterprizes:
[Detox] Is a scientifically formulated carbohydrate blend that works by absorbing toxins and imuurities[sic]. It has been featured in High Times, and we are so confident of the results that we are offering a double-your-money-back guarantee for any failed results. This is the most complete program for the cleanest results! Precleanse (tm) herbal capsules are enclosed in every box of Carbo Clean. This extra advantage helps you begin cleansing the evening before the deadline. B-Complex tablets complete the program.
6.2.3 Naturally Klean Herbal Tea (c): Naturally Klean claims to clear any drug metabolites for a few hours after taking. Drink this shortly before the test. Naturally Klean was also listed as a drug screen in previous versions, but according to Nightbyrd, "it will do NOTHING to help you pass a urine test;" with the exception that it will dilute your urine. You can get Naturally Klean from Martha Butterfield-Jay Foundation or J&J Enterprizes. An anonymous user provided the ingredients list: dandelion root, burdock root, red clover top, chamomile flower, alfalfa leaf, licorice root, slippery elm inner bark, hibiscus flower, dog rose hips, natural fruit flavors. Dandelion root is said to be the effective diuretic.
6.2.4 Goldenseal: Goldenseal is a plant and you can get either the root or the leaves in pill form. It's also a liquid or tea. The liquid is rumored to absorb slower than the capsules. Goldenseal is a diuretic, but works no better than other diuretics. Furthermore, NORML reports that Goldenseal is now being tested for. Taking Goldenseal is a foolish waste.
6.2.5 Certa or Certo: This is an untested diuretic. Certa "has something to do with canning. Some people swear by it. Trouble is, it's always somebody else, a third party not present during the conversation, who uses it" (Pearson). I've heard rumors about people who smoked right up to the day before the test, consumed fruit pectin (a canning substance similar to Certa), and passed the test. However, there hasn't been any tests to validate those claims. Will someone with a lab at their disposal please test this stuff?
6.2.6 Vales Original Formula: Another herbal remedy like Goldenseal. It does nothing. The water you must take with it does everything Vales claims to do.
6.2.7 Lasix: Take an 80 milligram dose of prescription diuretic
lasix (furosemide). Prescription diuretics are the most potent. Some over the
counter diuretics will color your urine blue and should be avoided.
WARNING! -Diuretics can be harmful to people with kidney problems, pregnant
women, and diabetics.-
6.3 Vinegar
There is a myth that drinking vinegar will mask drugs; it won't. However,
vinegar lowers the pH of urine. Amphetamines are excreted up to 3 times as fast
when urine is acidified. So vinegar could reduce the detection time period for
amphetamines. The effects on detection time are generally insignificant, and
it in my opinion it really wouldn't be worth it to drink vinegar. If you do
decide to drink vinegar, I hear it's easiest to get a shot glass and do it in
shots. It will cause diarrhea.
6.4 Dexatrim
There is a myth that taking phenylpropanolamine (Dexatrim's active ingredient)
will work. It won't. In fact, Dexatrim is a false positive, and may work against
you. The myth may have originated because Dexatrim was claimed to speed metabolism.
However, the fact that Dextrim causes a positive makes it useless.
6.5 Fiber
A high fiber diet will help by redirecting fat soluble metabolites to the colon
rather than bladder. "THC is eliminated primarily in the stool via bile
acids. Both EMIT and RIA detect a secondary metabolite which is reabsorbed from
the intestines. Thus a person with a high fiber diet will excrete a majority
of THC [metabolites] in the stool" (anon1). A fiber-based laxitive will
also help by binding bile-acids. Use caution. Fiber laxitives can alter one's
bowel schedule and lead to
dependancy.
6.6 Vitamin lecithin
A recent method that's still under development is to take vitamin lecithin.
This vitamin breaks down your stored fat and disperses it into your blood stream,
to help clean out drugs that store themselves in lipid tissue, such as THC.
NORML recommends taking Lecithin right up to the day of the test. To me it sounds
as though this would work against you because by putting THC back in your blood
stream, you are increasing metabolites in the urine. Someone has suggested that
you take vitamin lecithin on a regular basis to clean lipids of THC metabolites.
Then quit before the test, which seems to make more sense. It MAY be useless
to take lecithin supplements orally. I've been told that the digestive system
breaks it down too much before entering the blood stream.
Most aren't willing to take vitamins intravenously. (If you do decide to take
lecithin, you might as well take B5 with it. B5 aids in the process of turning
lecithin into acetylcholine.) Another solution is to take nutrients which help
the body manufacture lecithin. Lipotrophics cause the liver to produce lecithin.
A good source for this information is Austin Nutritional Research page.
6.7 How to give a clean sample
Don't give urine from your first urination of the day. It's the dirtiest,
and can be heavily filled with metabolites. Urinate a couple of times before
giving a test sample. Also, don't give the beginning or end of the stream. Piss
in the toilet, then quickly stop and go in the cup. Stop, and shift back to
the toilet for the last portion. Only give a midstream sample. Just be sure
to give 60 cc's.
6.8 Exercise
Athletes have a big advantage over normal civilians. When fat is burned, THC
byproducts are released into the blood. This is the only way to get THC metabolites
out of lipid tissue. "Normal living will burn them slowly, as your fat
reserves get turned over" (Dr. Grow). Due to an athletes high metabolic
rate, THC moves through an athletes system significantly faster. Exercising
between drug tests will clean THC metabolites from the system at a faster rate,
thus lowering the detection
period. It is important to stop burning fat cells near test time. On test day,
it doesn't matter what's in your lipid tissue. What's in your blood and urine
does matter. Exercise increases the amount of THC metabolites in the urine;
so quit exercising a week before the test. Be lazy, and eat big. This will put
the body in an anabolic fat-storing stage. At this point, the "buried"
THC metabolites won't escape and go the the urine.
There are drugs that will increase metabolism the way exercise does, but these
are the same drugs that they are usually testing for. Exercise should only be
considered when the subject knows that he or she will not be given a pop quiz
in the near future.
6.9 Beta-2 agonists
Studies have shown that Clenbuterol reduces fat, which would help rid lipid
tissue of THC metabolities. Clenbuterol also increases metabolism. No studies
have directly shown that Clenbuterol will help pass a drug test. However, provided
that it reduces fat, I would assume that the fat breakdown would result in less
fat soluble substances in the system. Caution: Clenbuteral is labeled as a performance
enhancer, and it's on the banned list for athlete testing. If are being tested
as an athlete, avoid Clenbuterol!
6.10 Beta-3 agonists
Beta-3 agonists are drugs that stimulate the beta-3 andrenergic receptors on
brown fat cells. The beta-3 andrenergic receptor is located on the surface of
fat cells, and controls the amount of fat the cell releases into the bloodstream.
When brown fat is stimulated, white fat is burned (converted into heat). Many
people have mutant beta-3 andrenergic receptors, causing calories to be burned
too slowly; thus leading to obesity. These people will benefit most from beta-3
agonist drugs. If the drug works as claimed, I believe it would reduce the detection
time of fat soluble drugs by continually excreting metabolites into the bloodstream
at a faster pace. As with vitamin lecithin and exercise, you would take beta-3
agonists between tests, and quit a couple days prior to the test. Beta-3 agonists
have been in the development phase for the past 13 years. One firm is already
testing a beta-3 drug in early clinical trials. It's not on the market yet.
6.11 Low dosaging
If you're an athlete and get tested for steroids, you can still use anabolic
steroids and possibly beat the cutoff. The body naturally produces testosterone
(a steroid), and small amounts of testosterone show up in urine by default.
Some athletes are able to keep their steroid intake low enough to indicate a
natural level of steroids. A study was done finding that 67% of steroid users
take more than the recommended amount, and they stack (meaning they take two
or more different kinds of steroids). Steroids are only meant to be used in
small amounts to begin with. Anything over a normal dose goes unused. Also,
no study has shown stacking to be beneficial.
7. DRUG SCREENS
Some chemicals taken orally supposedly will mask traces of drugs in urine. Advertisers like to present their diuretic as a masking agent to make the sale. Consequently, diuretics are often mistaken for drug screens. Most herbal products claim to do a lot more than they actually do. Don't be fooled by herbal potions that claim to flush or absorb toxins.
7.1 Drug screens that work
7.1.1 Aspirin: According to Jeff Nightbyrd, there is testing industry data that taking 4 aspirins a few hours prior to the test might help you. ". . . aspirin interferes with the Syvia [sic] EMIT assay. It seems that aspirin absorbs at the same wavelength that NAD does which is how it interferes with the assay" (Clin Chem 34 (90) 602-606). Two reliable sources have tested aspirin and found it to interfere with the EMIT. In the future they will try to find a way to circumvent this test flaw. Until then, I certainly recommend taking advantage of the situation and using aspirin.
7.2 Drug screens that do not work
7.2.1 Goldenseal: Goldenseal has shown to work on occasion. However, some labs are reportedly testing for Goldenseal. Goldenseal is very unreliable, and California NORML advises against using it. Goldenseal (as a screen) only works on the TLC test, which is not used anymore.
7.2.2 Niacin: Niacin has been shown to work on occasion. Byrd Labs tests conclude that niacin doesn't work at all. In other words, something else probably caused a negative, not the niacin.
7.2.3 Zinc sulfate: Zinc sulfate is claimed to bond with THC metabolites, and because it's a solid, it gets passed as stool rather than urine. Jeff Nightbyrd says it does nothing. Anne Watters Pearson said "zinc sulfate is no miracle drug for pissing. Forget it."
7.3 Untested drug screens
7.3.1 Puri-Blend (c): Puri-Blend is claimed to "block" metabolites from entering the bloodstream and to "neutralize" all drugs in the urine. I don't believe it myself. Sold in GNC stores.
7.3.2 The Stuff (c): The Stuff is claimed to absorb toxins in the body and block detection of true and false positives. Sold by J&J Enterprises.
8. DOPING SAMPLES
"Doping" samples consists of spiking the sample with different chemicals.
Chemicals that defeat immunoglobulin/antigen binding will cause a false negative on the EMIT. Most of these additives only work on the standard EMIT screening, not on RIA or GC/MS tests. In many cases, passing the EMIT is good enough, because they will never do a RIA or GC/MS confirmation on a sample that showed negative. I should also add that you may be watched, so don't rely on this method. You should be able to find out ahead of time if you will be supervised. Some of the following additives alter the urine's pH, and most labs now test the pH to see if the sample has been adulterated. If you are subject to random tests, you may want to carry an add
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