How to Dispute a False Positive Drug Test?

Did you fail a drug test that would cost you your job or an employment opportunity? Or perhaps, even make you ineligible to participate in any event or make the outcome of a legal matter go against you? Are you convinced you got a false positive result and are interested in how to dispute a false positive drug test? If your answer to these questions is yes, then you need to read on.

There are several reasons you may have received a false-positive drug test result, and there are ways to dispute and rectify such results from a drug screening. In this article, you will discover everything you need to know about false positive drug test results and how to dispute a positive drug test result. It's important to note that false positives can occur even for individuals who are not struggling with addiction, potentially impacting their personal and professional lives. Understanding what do you do in rehab if you receive a false-positive result during treatment can help you navigate the situation more effectively. For those in recovery, knowing how to handle false-positive results is crucial to maintaining trust and progress in their journey towards sobriety.

What does false positive on drug tests mean?

If you have failed drug test but did not smoke, you may have gotten a false positive drug test result provided you did not consume marijuana or any other illegal drug and substance containing THC.

So, false positives on drug tests refer to results that indicate that a person is positive for banned or illegal substances even though the person didn’t recently or ever consumed such substances. Consequently, you must be extra careful to prevent being caught off-guard by false positive test results, even if you have never had anything to do with drugs or THC products. It will also help if you detox before going for drug testing.

What can cause a false positive on a drug test?

Many substances can make you falsely test positive on a drug test, and it can be challenging to discover the actual substance that made you test positive. For instance, certain substances in medication and foods can cause a drug test to detect the presence of an illegal substance in your body.

Perhaps you ask what can cause a false positive drug test for THC. A typical example is a person testing positive for THC from using medicinal oils such as CBD oils with more than 0.3% THC content. In this case, such a person can make a case of not consuming cannabis products but CBD oil, legal in many states in the USA, if the THC content is less than 0.3%. However, one cannot dispute the possibility of sellers mislabeling their oil products as THC-free when they are a low-quality oil extracted from cannabis containing high THC.

It is also possible to test positive for THC from secondhand exposure, even though the chances are low. However, being confined with heavy weed smokers for several hours may cause the inhalation of enough THC-containing smoke to trigger a positive test result. Thus, it is crucial to know how to falsely test positive and avoid them.

What medications can cause a false positive drug test result?

Earlier, it was mentioned that an individual who tested false positive might find it challenging to spot the actual substance that caused the result. However, if you use any of the medications discussed below, you have a higher chance of testing false positives.

1. Analgesics

Do you know that taking 800 to 1200 milligrams per day of painkillers and NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) can cause false positive test results? For instance, painkillers like Ibuprofen and Aleve can make your urine test positive for PCP, THC or barbiturates after about 3 hours of ingestion. You are also at the risk of testing positive for benzodiazepines if you treat arthritis with Daypro drugs.

2. Antidepressants

If you are treating depression with drugs like Sertraline, Effexor and Prozac, you must inform the organization testing you for illicit drug use. Suppose you choose not to notify the organization. In that case, you are at the risk of getting a false positive result for substances like LSD, benzodiazepine, and amphetamines, thus, jeopardizing your credibility as you make your case.

3. Decongestants

It is a usual practice for people to get over-the-counter drugs to treat colds. However, using some cold medications can result in a false positive drug test. For instance, Sudafed, which has its active ingredient as pseudoephedrine, can produce methamphetamine. Similarly, the Vicks inhaler, which is used for treating nasal congestion caused by flu, has levomethamphetamine, which has a similar structure to methamphetamine.

4. HIV medication

Antiretroviral drugs, especially those containing Efavirenz, for HIV treatment can also make you test positive for benzodiazepine and marijuana. Thus, you must notify the laboratory professionals if you are on HIV medication, or you may be mistaken for an illicit drug abuser.

5. Cough suppressant

Many over-the-counter cough syrups for treating colds also contain dextromethorphan as their active ingredient. A drug test may falsely detect dextromethorphan as an opiate or PCP.

6. Proton pump inhibitors

PPIs such as omeprazole, esomeprazole, and pantoprazole are usually used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), peptic ulcers, heartburn symptoms, and other digestive conditions. Thus, using PPIs daily can produce a false positive test for THC or marijuana.

Apart from medications, several other random substances can make you test false positives for illegal or banned drugs. Some of these substances are briefly discussed below.

1. Poppy seeds 

Can poppy seeds make you fail a drug test? Yes, even though they are everyday harmless ingredients for food and are used to cough, constipation, sleeping difficulty and diarrhea. However, poopy seeds are obtained from opium plants and consuming them a day or two before a drug test can lead to a false positive for morphine, codeine or opioids.

2. Vitamin B supplements

Vitamin B2 supplements (Riboflavin) are derived from hemp seed oil. They have many health benefits, such as the production of red blood cells, healthy body growth, and the release of energy from proteins. However, because of the connection of riboflavin with hemp, it can cause a false positive for marijuana use.

3. CBD oils 

CBD oils are also derived from the cannabis plant and are usually prescribed to help people with conditions ranging from pain to sleep problems to chronic anxiety. Although CBD does not induce a psychoactive high like THC, it can still put traces of THC in one’s body or hair, especially those with THC contents higher than 0.3%.

How to dispute a false positive drug test on probation

Once you receive a false positive drug test result, the first thing that comes to mind is how to dispute and correct the result. Arguing a false positive result is straightforward when you follow the steps below.

• Do not despair

Did you receive a false positive result? Do not despair! There is no point in weighing yourself down. So, calm yourself down and take a few deep breaths. Several things could have led to the false positive result, and the best you can do is to figure them out. Here, ask yourself a few sincere questions on why you have falsely tested positive and research the food, drugs and substances you consumed recently.

• Request a retest

Suppose you are convinced that you did not intentionally take an illegal substance. In that case, you must inform the laboratory professional that you believe the result was a false positive and that you would like a confirmatory test. Once the laboratory professional agrees to conduct a retest, your original sample will be tested with more advanced methods to separate substances that may have interfered with the initial result.

• Disclose substances you have taken that might have caused the result

Now, you must get out in front of the issue to build your best defense for positive drug test result. Imagine you are on a medication that may have influenced the false positive result. You must make your claim and back it up with the appropriate doctor’s prescription documentation. Further, it would help if you informed the test providers about the food you consumed recently to aid their choice of test and result interpretation.

• Talk with your employer and try to explain it

As much as you speak with test providers or laboratory professionals, it would help if you also spoke with your employer. Letting your employer know about your situation and the substances that may have interfered with the test result can help convince your employer that you deserve a second chance or confirmatory test. After all, you deserve a fair hearing from your employer, provided you do not have previous bad records.

• Get a consultation at a reputable substance abuse treatment centre

You may also need to consult professionals at a substance abuse treatment centre to ask them if any ingredients in your medication or food could have caused a positive result. Further, medical professionals can analyze your predicament and provide helpful information and the following steps. They can also walk with you in seeking a clean and drug-free life.

• Fight your addiction if the results are genuinely positive

Fighting your addiction takes a lot of courage, and you must do your best to return to a clean and drug-free life. Your desire to get over your addictive behaviours or habits is crucial here. Fighting your addiction may be challenging because you may lose your job and have to deal with the associated stigma. However, your life will benefit from the addictive behavioural changes, so you must focus on rehabilitation.

 

Further, because change is difficult, it would help to visit a drug addiction and substance abuse rehabilitation centre near you for programs that can help treat drug addiction, alcoholism, and other substance use disorders. After all, you will need the additional care and assistance that addiction treatment centres provide.

Conclusion

What happens if you fail a drug test depends on your situation. For instance, you may lose a job opportunity if you test positive for an illegal substance or even lose your job if you already have a job. You may also attract fines and have your driver’s license withdrawn in the case of an accident. There is also the possibility of a legal matter going against your favour.

Suppose a drug test returns a positive result. In that case, you need to inform the laboratory professionals of the drinks, food and substances you have consumed that may have influenced the false positive result. Further, you should request a confirmatory test, provided you are sure that you haven’t consumed illegal drugs. Lastly, if the confirmatory test returns positive and you are entirely convinced that it is a false positive result, you should seek legal counsel.