5 July 2008 - 22:08Urine drug test. Part 1.

In today’s workplace environment a urine screen (or test) has become almost as routine as filling out of a job application. Urine tests are non-invasive methods of collecting a body fluid for the purpose of testing the sample for the presence of any drugs. It should be noted that a urine test ca not be used to test for the presence of a drug that has just been ingested, but it is very good at being able to find any traces of drugs that are presently being excreted by way of the urinary tract. Urine tests are designed to find the metabolites or traces of drugs. Metabolites are the by-products of the drug itself and these metabolites occur when your body has broken down a drug and is beginning to excrete it. These metabolites, or trace particles, are found in the urine for as long as it takes your body to process and clear the drug. For some drugs, the entire process could take 12 hours. For other drugs, traces remain in the urine you excrete for 1-3 days or longer. In some instances, such as with marijuana (pot) the urine may remain positive for 1-3 months. These timelines are all dependent on the type of drug taken and whether the use was short term or habitual. To a lesser degree clearance rates are also affected by body type, age, health factors, height and weight.

There are many drugs that a urine drug screen can track, but it is these major groups that are usually targeted; cocaine and other opiates, marijuana, barbiturates, amphetamines, alcohol and even PCP. These urine tests have extremely high rates of accuracy and all of the testing procedures are double checked and monitored. Although many try, there is little a person can do to overturn the validity of a positive report from a urine drug screen. For well over 20 years the urine drug tests have been making inroads across the United States. As drug use increased so did the reliability and technology of the tests and this has also led to more demand for them.

The urine drug testing kit is quite simple and is comprised of a wipe and a small plastic specimen cup with a lid. There is no preparation necessary, one need only provide a freshly voided urine sample into the collection cup and hand it over to the appropriate examiner. The examiner will label it and record pertinent data such as temperature, pH, color and specific gravity. These are all necessary checks to help ascertain the validity and accuracy of the proffered specimen. There are many people who continue to try and fool the test through various means. Some people try to adulterate the specimen by adding drops of Visine, vinegar or other liquids to the specimen in an effort to invalidate some or all of the test results. Others will drink water and fill themselves to bursting beforehand in an effort to dilute their urine in an effort to also dilute traces of any drugs. This is one reason color and specific gravity is closely watched. The measurements and color of the urine specimen alone will often indicate whether or not it is a true and valid specimen. There are even many drinks and other concoctions that are being hawked both on the street and the internet that all promise to provide you with the means to fool any urine drug test. These are, needless to say, largely false and very misleading claims.

Synthetic Urine