Taking something to pass a drug test?

It could be all over for the companies that manufacture products to help people pass drug tests ie: Covert Labs Inc.
Link to Yahoo news story
They're developing a new type of test that uses sweat or saliva and shows results in minutes instead of hours.

The products that help you pass a drug test kind of "hurries" the stuff out of your system. Which is OK if you're having a pee test, but not OK if they're going to dab up a little of your sweat. It takes a lot longer for substances to exit your pores in your sweat glands.

I think certain things should be legal, but the harder substances should be found and taken off the streets. A better drug test is the way to go!

Any comments?





[edit on 1/30/2006 by Beer_Guy]

Pretty interesting. I didn't know it took hours to process a urine test. The one I had for my job in IT at a health care facility took only 5 minutes using my urine. Although, granted, I don't know what it tested for, I am sure it was the "big 3"...
Narcotincs
Methamphetamines
Barbituates

Who would have thought that samples can be used from sweat or saliva?

As a humorous side note:

A policeman pretty much knows when someone is "hopped up" on something. Especially when he is doing 70 MPH, running over mailboxes, and shouting about the end of the world.

Oh wait....he might be an ATS-er.

My mistake, I was quoting the Yahoo news story and I still typed "days" instead of "hours".
I've never had a drug test, so that was my only source of info.

The drug tests used in the US Navy take only a few minutes to perform, but the whole process can take days due to shipping of test materials. It could be done much faster, though much less efficiently and more expensively. We're not in that big of a hurry.

As for screening, flushing, and masking agents, they don't really work that well for the tests used in the Navy. (maybe well enough for simpler, cheaper tests.) Your kidneys can only process so fast, so forget about flushing. One of the tests used is a mass spetrograph, so you can forget about masking to.

A more effective means seems to be trying to fool the system, and swap your urine with someone else's. There have been a few of these schemes in the navy, but thier fatal flaw is the reliance on the trustworthiness and integrity of other people actively involved in criminal activity. Oh, and on assuming that your "good buddy joe" isn't going to rat you out to save his own skin when something goes wrong and one of the people involved returns a positive test.

I removed my earlier post with a drink remedy and say what most here echo --- Don't use drugs.

[edit on 3-2-2006 by Alpha Grey]

I dont get why most companies only drug test when being hired.

All that does is prove you can pass a drug test, not that you dont use them.

As the one poster stated above, do not rely on chemicals/drinks/powders to "clean your system". Most chemical drugs attach themselves to molecules in your body, and the only way to effectively get rid of them is to stop using for a long enough period of time to naturally cleanse your system. This depends on what drug you are using.

Far too many times people in my facility get caught up in the myth that Goldenseal and other such "cleansing" drinks will flush your system. They WILL NOT. With the right test, yes you may pass. But get too comfortable, and one day they will use a different test.

Your best bet is just to not use any drugs. Anyone who has been around the block, or held hands with someone who has been around the block, will know how to tell a user of any drug from a mile away.

Originally posted by Calculon386
I dont get why most companies only drug test when being hired.

All that does is prove you can pass a drug test, not that you dont use them.

Just as a quick reply to this:

It is true. Some will test you once and once only. But others will test you if you drop in performance, have exessive absenteeism, create an unsafe situation, are part of an unsafe situation, or display erratic behavior...to name a few.

There are other companies that use random drug testing or recurrent drug testing. Mine doesn't. Only for the above stated items.

well for one here in the UK, it is very, very rare for anyone to be tested in a normal job (you will in the likes of police, ect.). Also i do not see the problem with takin drugs as long as a). you dont do them during work. b). it doesnt affect your work, or safty. If i wan't to smoke pot of a evening then i should be free to do so. I employ 6 people and atleast 3 of them smoke pot (it is very popular here) in there own time, it has never affected there work or there ability. I would never, ever interfear with what people after they clock off, unless it is unavoidable, it is not my consern.

Also i thought they could just take a hair sample if they wanted a real test.

For what it's worth,

I would seriously caution discussion of drug usage. It doesn't sit well here and will most certainly result in closure of the thread, if not more.

Just a litle FYI

[edit for clarity]

[edit on 2/3/2006 by 12m8keall2c]

I am currently seeking a new job since I am near the end of my degree. The last company I applied to stated that they no longer test for the presence of thc. Is this becomming common; or, did I just find a liberal employer?

Testing by saliva isn't all that new. Sweat is a new one to me, but a logical progression. Tests of this nature typically consist of a treated piece of paper being used to collect the sample. The paper then changes color to indicate the presence of a target substance. However, by the looks of this article, it seems they are just placing the swiped sample in a GC-Mass, which I will discuss. In either case, I suspect urine testing will remain dominant because of how cheap it is and the ability to isolate what is detected.

When taking a urinalysis (pee in a cup) the testers are looking for drug metabolites, not the drugs themselves. Metabolites are the molecules leftover from the metabolic processing of the chemicals. THC metabolites, for example, are fat soluble. They are stored in the body's fat and released into the blood, where they are readily filtered by the kidneys.

A urinalysis first goes to the Emit-5 panel assay. This is a broad screening that looks for metabolites of 5 different substances: cannabis, coc aine, opiates, benzodiazepenes, and barbituates. Note it is just a screen. An Emit test can only determine that there is something present, but cannot tell what it is. Tests are sent for the Emit because it is a very inexpensive and fast process, but also fallible. Dilution is typically used to defeat this test. The Emit test has minimum cutoff levels for metabolite presence. It is possible to dilute the sample (through injestion not suplementation) to bring the metabolite levels below the cutoff, however this also alters other properties of the sample such as creatinine levels (produced at a fairly constant rate by the breaking down of muscle tissue), specific gravity, and pH. If any of these catagories are askew a flag is thrown and the sample is rejected. There are many products on the market that are supposed to keep these samples in the normal range, but most are just gimmicks telling the user to drink lots of water (which is what is really beating the test). There are also many causes of false positives, false negatives, and generally incorrect results. Human error plays a factor, as well.

When something is found in the Emit, the sample is then sent to GC-Mass (Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry) testing. This isolates the actual chemical compounds present and can determine what exactly has been detected in the sample. It is not possible to defeat this test (except for substitution, of course). The GCM is much more expensive, and as such is reserved for positive test results from the Emit. The GCM is also not always used. Often, for employment purposes, a failed Emit is sufficient for denial.

I don't see these swipe tests gaining a very strong foothold in the drug testing industry. Because of it's low cost, simplicity, and effectiveness, urinalysis will most likely remain the primary method used, particularly for law enforcement.

All you gotta do is drink a lot of water. THC, found in marijuana is fat soluble. In a urine test, you have to score at least 50 parts p/million THC to fail. All the test does is take that THC cell cound in your urine, if you drink enough water, you will dilute it enough to where you pass, but make sure you take a vitamin C pill to add color back to your piss or theyll be suspicious.

Dont know about other drugs though, never done any others.

[edit on 2/3/2006 by ludaChris]

Originally posted by ludaChris
All the test does is take that THC cell cound in your urine, if you drink enough water, you will dilute it enough to where you pass, but make sure you take a vitamin C pill to add color back to your pee or theyll be suspicious.

Noooo, that isn't true. If you drink a lot of water (which is dangerous, and overhydration can kill you...but that's going to an extreme level) your urine will be diluted to a point where the test will fail simply because of that. Some people can have nautrally light urine, and that is rarely an indicator anymore. Vitamin C doesn't do anything. If they want to catch you, they will, they can, and they have.

Like I said...don't use and you won't have a problem.

Originally posted by ludaChris
All you gotta do is drink a lot of water. THC, found in marijuana is fat soluble. In a urine test, you have to score at least 50 parts p/million THC to fail. All the test does is take that THC cell cound in your urine, if you drink enough water, you will dilute it enough to where you pass, but make sure you take a vitamin C pill to add color back to your piss or theyll be suspicious.

Dont know about other drugs though, never done any others.

[edit on 2/3/2006 by ludaChris]

Having worked as a collector for a drug test company, I can say that if a sample is too dilute, that can be grounds for failure or at least a retest.

Unless its an observed collection, it is easy to get past a drug test. Just be sure that the clean urine sample you provide is within the right temperatures. There is no need to worry about color. Heh, and dont leave any packaging or bottle caps behind.

Is it really that common for companies to do drug tests on their employees? I have never had to do a drug test, either when being hired, or while working, and that includes the three summers I worked for a security company.

How reliable are the current drug tests? I've heard that they aren't that good, but like I said, I haven't ever taken one before, so I wouldn't know.

One more thing to add:

DRUGS SUCK!!!! DON'T DO THEM!!!!

apparently have a test that can be done from a swipe of the forehead - not sure that can be avoided. And certainly some enforcement agencies use hair - and that is something that canont less you keep hair very very short - and cut very frequently

It is something worth discussing - some of us here have had exposure - whether it be at partys or (forgive me) actually closer - did'nt a US president admit or was I on another planet . Drugs are part of this civilisation and in western culture they are going to be discussed - to hide in a box is tantemount to denying their existance - they do - and its only fair that people can talk about it. *soap box mode on for a sec* to deny drugs usage and hide it makes us looks silly.

I took My 1st P-test a few wks ago for pre-employment. It was weird. Very particular. While researching the matter I came across a story that I found very interesting. There was a guy in the military who tested +. He fought the charges denying any use of MJ. He used the excuse that He ingests hemp oil on a daily basis. He also ate the seeds. Hemp oil is supposed to be da bomb when it comes to Essential Fatty Acids. You can roast them, bake with them. Use them on salads and pasta. Make tofu and milk. etc....Anyway, hemp seed is legal & He won the case. Yeah, some stuff should be legal. Anything manufactured shouldn't be though. I mean, we spend a gazillion $$ every yr. in taxes for what I consider minor infringements (but I'm not a cop.) I'll try to locate the article.

Peace. K*
ps. can never have too many Essential Fatty Acids

Just a clarification...

Saliva based testing is actually cheaper than urinalysis testing. It is absolutely gaining market share. The Department of Transportation has yet to approve the testing methodology for mandated testing in regulated industries, but that is likely to change.