Mandatory drug testing in the workplace is a massive headache for a lot of employees. All we want to do is get on with our jobs in peace during the weekdays and enjoy our vices in our free time. Yet, company drug policies can punish people for the choice made when not on company time. It can also be doubly stressful when other substances mess with the results and cause false positives. Before we look at how to pass a workplace drug test, let’s look at what might cause a false positive.
10 Things That Can Cause A Positive Or False Positive Result
1) Illegal drugs
Let’s start with the obvious here. If you take anything that employers and testers are specifically looking for close to the test, there’s a good chance it will get picked up. This can include anything from illegal opioids and cocaine to marijuana. The problem there is also that this can flag up medicinal marijuana, which will lead to an interesting conversation if your employer isn’t aware you take it.
2) Secondhand smoke
On that note, there are concerns that secondhand smoke can also be a problem for workplace drug testing. The assumption is that you need to deliberately physically inhale marijuana for enough to show up in testing. However, enough time spent in a smoky room with other people can lead to a second-hand high. It can also make it show up in your hair.
3) CBD oil
This one is especially annoying for anyone who takes legal CBD oil as an alternative to marijuana. CBD is a popular treatment for all kinds of physical and mental health issues and is safe in the right dosage. Yet, there is the risk of it showing up on a test even without the THC components of marijuana.
4) Alcohol
This one depends on the full panel employers are testing for. The term workplace drug test leads to the assumption that they’re after people who take illegal drugs or are regular cannabis smokers. However, some may look for alcohol to ensure full sobriety. Obviously, you don’t want to show up to work drunk. But what happens if you’re on the early shift after a long day drinking beers on Sunday?
5) Mouthwash
The issue with alcohol can depend on the alcohol content of whatever you’ve used or consumed. It can also depend on the type of test administered. If you’re going in for a standard urine test, the only problem is the alcohol you drank the night before. If you are taking a saliva test, alcohol-based mouthwash could be a trigger.
6) Prescription painkillers
Continuing with the idea of legal drugs affecting tests, there’s the problem of prescription painkillers. Many forms of painkillers flag up positive results because they are opioids. Opioid use isn’t limited to heroin, as anyone who’s dealt with painkillers and morphine addiction knows. It’s also in OxyContin and Codeine.
7) Poppy seeds
If that wasn’t bad enough, there are stories of people failing drug tests because of poppy seeds. Poppy seeds are the root source of opioids because they are coated in the same substance as found in heroin and morphine. Eating large numbers of poppy seeds or sometimes just having a poppy seed bagel before a test can be enough.
8) Vitamin supplements
Surprisingly, other seemingly harmless products can affect testing. Some find that Vitamin B supplements can also cause a false positive. This can be an issue when taking it daily for energy or mood issues.
9) Antihistamines
The same goes for antihistamines. You may be dealing with an allergy around the time of a workplace drug test that needs antihistamines for you to remain productive. It could be as simple as hayfever medication.
10) Other prescription medication
Finally, it’s worthwhile taking some time to check out the risk of any other prescription medication you might take. You never know if a chemical within your regular treatments poses a risk. For example, ADHD medication has triggered false positives for some people.
What Should You Do?
The impact of these substances could be so small that it doesn’t flag up any issues on your test. Or, you could be one of those unfortunate people who gets called out for substance abuse for something perfectly legal and inconsequential. The question is what to do about these problematic influences. One option is to make sure to abstain from using any of them close to the time of the test. That’s not going to be an issue with some supplements and mouthwash. You can just adapt your schedule for the day. It’s more problematic when you’re in desperate need of painkillers and antihistamines or you have a regimented schedule for your medication. When you can’t abstain from using something on this list, you have two options. You can run the risk of getting a false positive and the hassle of dealing with the accusations, or you can learn how to pass a workplace drug test.
How To Pass A Workplace Drug Test
If you feel you have no option but to cheat the system and doctor a urine sample for your workplace drug test, there are options. Companies that sell devices like the Urinator build their reputation by providing tips and tricks for those struggling with mandatory workplace drug tests. Some bloggers will tell you about all the different things you drink to taint the sample and mask the traces of drugs. Some of these are unnecessary because your urine will react weirdly. A better alternative is to get a whole of high-quality synthetic urine that won’t trigger any common markers in tests. This is readily available online, but you do need to make sure to buy from a reliable source. That means a company that has the reviews to back up their claims. It would also help if the company could provide a warmer to keep the sample at the right temperature.
Should You Consider Faking A Workplace Drug Test?
Learning to pass a workplace drug test may be the best option if you feel you have no choice. Maybe your company’s mandatory policy is unfair and doesn’t respect those taking legal substances. Maybe people on prescription drugs have had a stressful time disproving false positive results. Whatever your reason, there is help available. Check out legitimate advice from industry experts, and only get samples from reliable providers.
