///////\ __ _/\_ __ /\\\\\\\ ///////\\\\\ | \/\/ /\ \/\/ | /////\\\\\\\ ((((((( )))))) \ Beating Drug / ((((( ))))))) \\\\\\\////// / Testing \ \\\\\/////// \\\\\\/// / by: \ \\\////// \\\\\/ \ / \///// \\\\ \ Mental / //// \\\ / Hijinx \ /// \\ |__/\/\_\/_/\/\__| // \ \/ / First off let me issue my viewpoint on the subject of drug use: It's one's own responsibility. Whether or not you do drugs is your business, and whether or not I do is my own business. However, there tends to be some concern when drug use interfere's with others lives, businesses, etc. Such that you wouldn't want a stoned surgeon, or a pilot that just snorted more dust than is behind my refrigerator trying to land your plane. Ture, some employers have gone overboard (Who could work at McDonald's WITHOUT being stoned?) But drug users are not the only ones that need to worry about drug testing. Straight people can produce a 'false positive' which is a sign of drug use even if you've never done drugs. The problem is there is no distinction between the 'positive' and the 'false positive'. The most common drug test is the urinalysis, which is called and EMIT. This test produces a stagering amount of 'false positives'. In a study at Northwestern University, 25% of all positive results derived from the EMIT test for cocaine were in error. Think of it, out of every 4 positive tests one was wrong, and there would be virtually nothing you could do about it. There are other tests that could be performed but the most common and most cost effective is the EMIT. Other tests examine blood, saliva, brain waves, and even hair. Now when a company want to test their employees they hire a laboratory to do the testing. The lab runs a screen on all people being tested (an EMIT test). Then if the results are positive the SHOULD do a confirmation test, such as a gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) test, which is very accurate. However, most employers look at the screen test (EMIT) and then just fire the people that tested positive. This is done partly because of the lack of knowledge held by employers. They feel that one drug test is the same as another - they either test positive or negative, so why do two tests? The other reason is cost, the confirmation test is an additional cost, and it is expensive. Most 'false positives' are caused by cross-reactivity, which is when a food or legitimate medication is mistaken for an illegal drug. Avoiding certain food and medication (List to follow) will reduce your chances of a 'false positive'. Now for illegal drugs, most substances leave the body within a day or two, but some drugs like marijuana, Valium, and phencyclidine (PCP) can remain in the body and in urine for weeks. It is best to stop drug usage far in advace before testing. A private drug test can also be taken to see beforehand whether you will test positive. Most employers will inform you of the lab doing the testing. If the lab service isn't that well known or if they don't perform confirmation test, you might consider getting tested from another company. The problem with this is getting your employer to accept the results or allowing you to do this in the first place. If you offer to pay for the alternate testing most employers will accept. When you find an alternate lab, they will send you a specimen bottle, which you will fill with urine infront of a trustworth observer. It would be best if you could have the same observer as your employer used. The observer then seals the bottle with a tamper-resistant label. You complete the form that comes with the bottle and then send it away for testing. The lab test the sample and sends it's results back to you or your employer. Be careful, if you wait until your company's lab accuses you of drug use and then you ask for a second opinion, your employer most likely won't take your findings seriously and you will still be fired. It is best to submit to the company's test and the precautionary test at about the same time. Beating the test: Sometimes there are things that you don't want your employer to know about you. For instance - you're pregnant, you take Dilantin (used to control epilepsy), or smoke marijuana. So here are some tips on beating the drug test... 1) Drink as much water as possible before giving a specimen. Consuming a lot of water a half-hour to an hour before a test dilutes your urine. This reduces the concentration of any drugs present. Also, if you can, add water directly to the urine to dilute it. 2) Add salt to your urine sample. One or two tablespoons of salt per a 60 milliliter jar of urine (standard size) interferes with the EMIT test's enzyme action. This can be a problem if you are observed during sample collection. A small bag of salt concealed in your sleeve or in your hand can be added without detection. Clorox, detergent, ammonia, and lye can all be added with the same effectiveness. However, salt is the least easily detected and the most practical additive. 3) Get 'clean' urine from a second party. Byrd Labs (225 Congress Ave., Suite 340, Austin, TX 70701) sells drug-free powdered urince (two vials, $19.95). You might also consider getting urine from a friend whose urine is more likely to be clean than yours is. The following list contains illegal drugs, some foods, and legal medications that may cause 'false positives'. This, however, is not all producers of 'false positives', most still occur for unknown reasons. For pain, colds, hay fever, asthma: * Amoxicillin - an antibiotic * Cloxacillin Na - an antibiotic * Codeine - used in painkillers and cough medicines * Dextromethorphan - used mostly in over-the-counter cough medicines * Doxylamine - an antihistamine used in NyQuil * Ephedrine - used in drugs for hay fever, asthma, congestion * Ibuprofen - an anti-inflammatory used in Advil * Indomethacin - a mild analgesic, anti-inflammatory and fever reducer * Methadone * Phenylpropanolamine -a decongestant used in over-the-counter cold medicines such as Contac and in cough, hay fever, and weight loss medicines * Promethazine - an antihistamine Relaxants, antidepressants, opiates: * Amitriptyline - an antidepressant * Amphetamines * Benzodiazepines - antidepressants (such as Valium) * Cannabinoids - marijuana * Carisoprodol - a muscle relaxant * Chlorpromazine - a drug for chronic anxiety and schizophrenia (Thorazine) * Clidinium - an antospasmodic * Cocaine * Opiates - heroin, morphine * Phenmetrazine - an appetite suppressant Foods: * Coca tea - an imported tea made from decocainized coca leaves * Ginseng tea * Poppy seeds * Quinine - the flavor in tonic water Hope this information has helped in some way. For I feel that an individuals rights should be protected. However, drug usage during critical jobs is definately NOT cool in anyway, and any breech in this should get violators the full penalty perscribed by law. But when you're just kickin' back with your buds, well then, that's your own business. May your bowls always be filled, and your lungs always full... Brought to you by: ThE DeEp ReD ZoMbIeS <*>==)A Killer Kult Production(==<*>