As drug testing in the workplace becomes commonplace, especially in safety-sensitive positions, there are some everyday myths that circulate around the topic. DISA Global Solutions has the expert knowledge to help settle those myths and provide a better understanding of the employee screening industry and its procedures.
The following myths are common, but not entirely true.
Poppy Seeds Will Fail Your Drug Test for Morphine
Poppy seeds can be found as a main ingredient in many of the foods you eat on a daily basis. Morphine and sometimes Codeine can be found in poppy seeds, and although poppy seeds can trigger a positive drug test result, an individual would have to consume a significant amount for it to show up on a test. In order to prevent a false-positive drug test result due to poppy seeds, the U.S Federal Government has raised the testing threshold for Morphine and Codeine to 2,000 ng/ml from 300, so such mistakes can no longer be made.
Second Hand Marijuana Smoke Will Make You Fail Your Drug Test
A recent study published by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIH) states that unless you are locked in an unventilated room for hours on end inhaling only marijuana smoke from other users, then testing positive from second hand marijuana is most likely not going to happen. When non-smoking participants were placed in a room with cannabis users for three hours of continuous smoking, the non-smoking participants only had a small amount of THC present in their blood, which was well below the amount needed to fail a drug test.
Trying Drugs Just Once Can’t Get You Addicted
Addiction is a fragile thing, and just because you only try a drug one time, doesn’t mean you can’t get hooked for life. There is no detection as to when exactly an individual will get addicted to a drug, that’s why the best way to prevent addiction is to not do drugs in the first place. Just one try could lead to a lifelong dependency and a failed drug test.
You Can Cheat on Drug Tests
Those who attempt to cheat on a drug test won’t be fooling the MROs (Medical Review Officers). There are various products marketed to cleanse or detox the body of any drugs in your system if used before taking a drug test. These products are fooling the consumer into believing that they will flush out or completely remove the drug from their system.
In reality, our strategic and certified lab partners screen for specific gravity, ph, and creatinine levels to identify adulteration attempts. There is no way to remove a drug from your body once you have taken it, other than letting it fade out over time. Once it is in your system it is stored in fat cells where it will stay there for an extended period of time, depending on the drug taken.
Legal Drugs While Traveling Are Excused on Drug Tests
Whether you’re in a legal marijuana state or somewhere outside the U.S., the laws on drug use can vary. Some people believe that if they go on vacation and use a legal recreational drug it’s a valid excuse for a positive on a drug test. If your workplace drug tests and you partake in drug use while traveling you can still lose your job, because you violated your company policy. Although the laws may vary in different places depending on the drug, that does not necessarily mean that you have a free pass.
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About DISA Global Solutions
Founded in 1986, DISA is the industry-leading provider of employee screening and compliance services. Headquartered in Houston, with more than 35 offices throughout the U.S. and Canada, DISA’s comprehensive scope of services includes drug and alcohol testing, background check, occupational health, and transportation compliance. DISA assists employers in making informed staffing decisions while building a culture of safety in their workplace.