Things
You Should Know
The business of urine testing can be traced back
to the early 1980's and the Reagan administration, which authorized
the mandatory testing of federal employees. The industry grew quickly,
as the social pendulum of the country swung towards the conservative
side. Urine testing became standard procedure for potential job
applicants (pre-employment urine screens), employees of large corporations,
pilots, train engineers, taxi drivers, those on either probation
or parole, child custody battles, Child Protective Services, high
school athletics programs, and the lost goes on and on.
One wonders whether urine testing was created as
a requirement of the workers' compensation insurance companies,
a general concern for public safety, or a desire to create a new
industry and with it, enormous profits. Urinalysis is by far the
most common method of urine testing today, although hair testing
and "the patch", a device worn on the arm, are methods
gaining popularity.
As more and more people were subjected to urine
testing, a recurring problem arose: False-positive test results.
Those who had not taken any illicit substance were failing urine
tests and, as a result, either losing their jobs, being denied jobs,
or worse, being thrown in jail.
False-positive test results are produced by substances
referred to as "cross-reactive" substances. These cross-reactive
substances are legal substances, usually in the form of over-the-counter
medications or prescription drugs. However, after they are ingested
into the body and when excreted through the process of urination,
show up on urinalysis tests as illegal drugs! These cross-reactive
substances are illustrated in the following table:
Cross-Reactive Substances
The following list of cross-reactive substances was compiled by
Kent Holtorf, M.D. and appears in his book, "UR-INE TROUBLE".
This is not a comprehensive list; other agents not listed here may
trigger false-positive test results.
|
Tested Drug
|
Legal
"Cross-Reactive" Substance
|
| Amphetamines
|
Over-the-counter
cold and allergy remedies that contain ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, propylephedrine,
phenylephrine or desoxyephedrine: Nyquil, Contactd, Sudafed, Allerest 12-Hour,
A.R.M., Triaminic 12, Ornade, Tavist-D, Dimetapp, Sinex, Neosynephrine,
Actifed, Bayer Selected Maximum Strength Sinus Pain Relief Caplets, Contact
Non-Drowsy Formula Sinus Caplets, Dristan Cold Caplets, Maximum Strength
Sine-Aid Tablets, Maximum Strength Sudafed Sinus Caplets, Maximum Strength
Tylenol Sinus Gel caps, No Drowsiness Sinarest Tabs, Sinus Excedrin Extra
Strength Caplets, Characol Sinus, Drixoral Cold and Flu, Efidac/24, Phenegan-D,
Robitussin Cold and Flu. Over-the-counter diet aids containing phenylpropanolamine:
Dexatrim, Accutrim. Over-the-counter nasal sprays: Vicks inhaler, Afrin.
Asthma medication: Marax, Bronkaid tablets, Primatine Tablets. Prescription
medication: Amfeprainone, Cathne, Etafediabe, Morazone, phendimetrazine,
phenmetrazine, benzphetamine, fenfluramine, dexfenfluramine, dexdenflurarnine,
Redux, mephentermine, Mesocarb, methoxyphenamine, phentermine, amineptine,
Pholedrine, hydroymethamphetamine, Dexedrine, amifepramone, clobenzorex,
fenproyorex, mefenorex, fenelylline, Didrex, dextroamphetamine, methphenidate,
Ritalin, pemoline, Cylert, selegiline, Deprenyl, Eldepryl, Famprofazone
|
| Marijuana |
Over-the-counter
NSAIDS: lbuprofen; Advil, Nuprin, Mediprim, Motrin, Bayer Select Pain Relief
Formula, Excedrin IB Caplets, Genpril, Haltran, lbuprin, Midol 200, Pamprin,
Trendar Cramp Relief Formula, Cramp End Tablets, Medipren, Rufln, Naproxen,
Aleve, Ketoprofen, Orudis KT. Prescription NSAIDS: Anaprox, Tolectin, ifenoprofen,
flurbiprofen, oxaprozin, Ansaid, Clinoril, Dolobid, Feldene, Indocin, Lodine,
Meclomen, Motrin, Nalfon, Naprosyn, Orudis, Relafen, Voltaren. Over-the-counter
allergy preparations, sleep aids and antinausea medications that contain
promethazine: Phenergan, Promethegan. Riboflavin (vitamin B2), Dronabinol,
Edecrin. |
| Cocaine |
Amoxicillin,
tonic water |
| Opioids |
Poppy seeds,
Emprin, Tylenol with codeine, Capital with codeine, Margesic, rifampicin,
Vicodin, Percodan, Percocet, Wygesic. |
| Barbiturates |
Fiorinol,
Donnatol, some sleeping pills, anti-asthmatic preparations that contain phenobarbitol,
Dilantin. |
| Benzodiazepines |
Most prescription
sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medication. |
| LSD |
Migraine
medication: egotamine, Ergostat, Cafergot, Wigraine, Imitrex. Hydergine,
bromocription, methysergiside, lisuride, lysergol, Artane, triprolidine,
amitriptyline (Elavil), dicyclomine (Bentyl), anti-nausea medications that
contain promethazine: Phenergan, Promethegan. |
|
