false positive drug test?

jamrobmic

New Member
difficult child took a pre-employment drug test today at a temporary employment agency and failed it. He claimed he was clean, so they told him to go to a clinic and retake the test at his own expense, which he did (well, actually it was at my expense, but that's beside the point). Anyway, he passed the second test. I went with him for the second test, patted down his pockets myself, and heard him "go," so I don't think there was any way he brought in a sample from someone else and switched it. The nurse said the temperature of the sample was fine. And I figure if he was going to tamper with the results, he would have done it when he took the first test.

However, since he is a difficult child, I'm still not 100% sure whether to rely on the negative result from the second test. Drug use isn't out of the question, especially pot, but he claims he doesn't use it (he has used it in the past, though, and has friends who do use it, which he does admit). We tested him ourselves in December, and he tested negative (that test was done at the above-mentioned clinic).

Has anyone else run into this? This temp service is an agency we use where I work, and I've never had anyone fail one of their drug tests. difficult child said he failed another test at a different temporary service several months ago, and he says that's why he doesn't like to take drug tests at temp services. He would rather go to a clinic, because he says they're more accurate.

Any input anyone has on this subject would be greatly appreciated.
 

AllStressedOut

New Member
Absolutely you can have a false positive, as well as a false negative. I use to have a link explaining how both can happen. Unfortunately, I mostly remember the false negative, which can be diluted by drinking powdered jello and water sometimes. I beleive the false positive could show up with smoking cloves as well as eating poppy seeds. I want to say there was something more common though that can show up as a drug in your system as well, but I can't remember it.

We researched a bunch when going through court proceedings to get difficult children biomoms rights terminated.
 

meowbunny

New Member
It could be his diet. I once tested positive for opiates because I ate two poppyseed bagels that day. I'd say it could be his medications but I see he isn't taking any. False positives are pretty common.

If the tests hadn't been taken the same day, I'd be suspicious. However, since it was the same day, I'd vote for one of the two tests being inaccurate. It also sounds like the nurse was satisfied (not too clear, warm enough ....). Tehre's also the fact that the agency has had to have had the tests show false positive previously or a suggestion wouldn't have been made to try again at a clinic.

Sometimes our kids really are innocent even if we find it hard to believe.
 

AllStressedOut

New Member
FOUND IT! Here is the info on false positive:
http://www.alwaystestclean.com/false_positive_causes.htm

Drug Test Interaction With Medicines And Foods

Be aware that certain foods and over-the-counter medications can cause you to test "positive" for various kinds of drugs.

Poppy seeds, for example, can show up on a drug test as morphine.

Cold remedies that contain codeine can also cause a positive result for morphine.

Valium reportedly can produce erroneous indications of PCP (Phencyclidine), and other cold remedies can apparently produce false reports of methamphetamine usage.

Dextromethorphan can produce a falsely positive qualitative urine opiate screening.

The widespread availability of hemp-containing products, including everything from hemp-seed oil nutritional supplements to hemp-seed candy, cookies, cheese, bread, cooking oil, and general seasoning, means that ingesting ANY of these products could potentially cause a false positive result on a test for marijuana.

Ibuprofen, contained in Advil, Nuprin, and Mortin, can make a positive result for marijauna. The EMIT test (an immunoassay test) has therefore 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 (Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer) test. 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).

Common over the counter cold, asthma, and allergy remedies and diet pills such as Diatec, Dexatrim, Cotylenol, Triaminic, Primatene, Bronkotabs, and Nyquil can show up as positive for amphetamines.

Vicks Formula-44, Demerol, Mydol, Primatene-M and common prescription antidepressants such as Elavil and Tofanil can show up as positive for opiates such as opium and heroin.

Ephedra, also known as Ephedra Alkaloids or 'MaHuang Extract' has a chemical structure which is closely related to amphetamine, and can reportedly give a false positive for amphetamines. Often sold as an 'energy pill' it is an effective decongestant in low doses.

Valerian root is reported to cause false positives for benzodiazepines. Other herbal supplements such as Kava Kava and St Johns Wort may also affect body chemistry such that false positives are produced.

Zoloft is reported to cause false positives in urine screens, although for what specific substance isn't clear.

Primatene can also show up as positive for barbiturates, and Benadryl can show up positive for Methadone.

Some additional over the counter medicines that may cause various kinds of drug test interactions include Alka-Seltzer plus, Allerest, Bronkaid, Contac, Donnagel, Sinuntab, and Sudafed.
 

donna723

Well-Known Member
There can absolutely be false positives. I'm glad you found the link. At the prison where I work, the inmates who are paroling out are drug tested and if they test positive, they don't go home! We had one that it happened to a few months ago. Then about a week later, when the results came back from the lab, it showed "negative" and he finally got to leave. What we give there are classified as "field tests". If they test positive on the field test, then the remainder of the sample is sent off to a lab for verification. There's not a lot of false positives, but it does happen.

And now they've started doing "random testing" on a certain number of employees every month. We had a big, long sheet we were passing around that listed even more things than are given on the link! You are supposed to tell them what prescription medications you're taking ... (none of their business!)... but it's still very scary! We have people who are taking many diferent kinds of prescription medications. If you tested positive, you'd be put in a position to have to defend yourself! I hate to think that my reputation could be ruined and I could even possibly lose my job - because I had one of those big Sara Lee poppyseed bagels for breakfast! It's supposed to all be kept "confidential" - yeah, right!
 

jamrobmic

New Member
Thank you all very much for the information. I feel a lot better about the whole situation now. I'm going to bookmark that link. I hadn't realized so many things could cause false positives.

If you tested positive, you'd be put in a position to have to defend yourself! I hate to think that my reputation could be ruined and I could even possibly lose my job - because I had one of those big Sara Lee poppyseed bagels for breakfast!

Amen to that. husband drives a truck, and is paranoid about this kind of thing anyway. Wait until I show him this list.
Sometimes our kids really are innocent even if we find it hard to believe.

It's kind of sad to always doubt their innocence. on the other hand, these things always seem to happen to kids like ours, never to pcs.
 
F

flutterbee

Guest
I was going to mention poppy seeds as well. My former sister in law once tested positive and it was because of a poppy seed bagel.
 

Lucedaleblessed

Active Member
If they test a lot of people the same day they need to be very careful and wear gloves. Otherwise a positive test by one applicant can make several tests positive by other applicants.
 
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