If you are an athlete, you may also be tested for substances that are not necessarily illegal, but that have been banned from athletic competition.
A teaspoon of poppy seeds is enough to produce a false-positive for opioids. This is less than one-poppy seed bagel. Many over-the-counter work-out supplements are banned from athletic competition. If you are an athlete, discuss your supplement options with your coach or trainer.
Prescription antidepressants, such as Zoloft, can also produce a false positive. Athletes should familiarize themselves with substances that have been banned from competition. A guide to substances that have been banned from competition can be found here.
Athletes should know that certain substances have been banned for use while competing, but are actually allowed during training.
Athletes who test positive for a banned substance–regardless of its legality–may face punitive action.
Drink as much water as you can an hour-or-two before your test. [3] X Research source
An employer can terminate your employment, or restrict any promotions for “positive” results. [5] X Research source Depending on your location, the state can deny you unemployment benefits, working compensation, and disability benefits. [6] X Research source
List of everything you consumed. Any prescriptions.
Mix-ups can occur at the laboratory facility where tests are evaluated. The laboratory itself may not be operating up to state standards. Testing methods may be out-of-date or antiquated. Samples could have been contaminated.
The more residual chemistry that you can flush from your system, the better your chances of avoiding a positive result. The length of time a drug remains in your system depends mainly on the drug itself. Detoxifying and flushing agents claim to wash your system free of the chemicals that will trigger a positive result, but since drug tests are constantly evolving and becoming more advanced–looking for different chemical compositions in the body–these products remain unreliable.
Marijuana can remain in your system for as long as eight-weeks, stored in your fat and hair cells. Cocaine, on the other hand, is typically flushed from the body within four days. [9] X Research source Identify any drugs that you may have taken in the past six months.
Chemical spikes, which are sold legally in small vials, are added to the urine sample at the time of testing. Owning or purchasing the spike is not illegal, but adding it to your urine during your examination may violate local or state laws. Prosthetic penises are now available and are designed to not only store a clean urine sample, but also fool the watchful eye of any observer. Urine that is not your own.
