How To

How to Avoid a False Positive on a Drug Test

Contributor
By eHow Contributing Writer
(3 Ratings)
Avoid a false positive.
Avoid a false positive.

Getting a false positive on a drug test is more common than you might think. The likelihood of getting a failing a drug test when you haven't taken any illegal drugs depends on numerous circumstances. You must handle your situation carefully if you get any kind of positive drug test result. Learn how you might get a false positive and how to prevent getting one on your next drug test.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  • Medication list
  • Doctor's note
  • Home drug test
  1. Step 1

    Research what medication you take can give you a false positive on your drug test. Even some of the most common medications can make your drug test positive. Medications such as Dexatrim, Advil, and Aleve are drugs that read positive for THC and Ecstasy. Skip those drugs for at least 72 hours before your drug test.

  2. Step 2

    Talk with your doctor before taking your drug test. Fill out a detailed medication list of all over-the-counter and prescription medications to give to your doctor before your test. This way your doctor should know that your positive result is because of your medication and not due to illegal drugs.

  3. Step 3

    Watch what you eat. Certain foods can deliver a positive reading on your drug test. If you eat anything with poppy seeds, such as bagels and muffins, change your dietary habits temporarily to get a more favorable test result. Eat plain bagels or blueberry muffins until after your drug test.

  4. Step 4

    Ask for a different type of drug test if you've gotten multiple false positive results. Get tested through saliva, hair or sweat samples to see if the results change in your favor. Talk with your doctor about any food or medication you've had and forgotten to mention. Any of those items could have influenced your test results.

  5. Step 5

    Discuss your results with your doctor and look into why your test results came back positive when you don't take drugs. Doctors use gas chromatography or mass spectrometry to get in-depth results of your sample by breaking down its components differently. Once those results come back, you'll know for certain your true drug test results regardless of the outcome.

Tips & Warnings
  • Take a home drug test as practice to get an idea of what a real drug test is like. Know what to expect before getting the official test done.
  • Don't try to pass off someone else's drug test sample as your own regardless of your motives, because that's a criminal offense in states such as New Jersey and North Carolina. Honesty is the best policy here.

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