1. What does a drug of abuse test do?”
Answer
It provides preliminary results for the detection of one or more of the drugs at the cut-off level:
| Abbreviation | Test | Abbreviation | Test |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMP | Amphetamine | MDMA | Ecstasy |
| BAR | Barbiturates | THC | Marijuana |
| BZO | Benzodiazepines | TCA | Tricyclics |
| COC | Cocaine | PCP | Phencyclidine |
| MET or mAMP |
Methamphetamine | MTD | Methadone |
| MOR | Morphine | OPI | Opiates |
| OXY | Oxyconone | PPX | Propoxyphene |
| BUP | Buprenorphine |
2. What is a cut-off level?
Answer
The cut-off level is the specified concentration of a drug in a urine sample. Above that concentration the test is called non negative, and below that concentration it is called negative.
3. What are drugs of abuse?
Answer
Examples of drugs of abuse include marijuana, cocaine, opiates, heroin, amphetamines, Ecstasy or MDMA, and phencyclidine. Prescription drugs, such as morphine, codeine, oxycodone or other painkillers, also may be abused.
4. Common Street Names for Drugs
Answer
Content to be toggled.
| Drug | Street Name |
|---|---|
| Amphetamines | Speed, Amp, Bennie, Chalk, Black beauties |
| Cocaine | Big C, Coke, Snow, Flake, Candy, Crack, Blow, Rock |
| Methamphetamines | Crystal, Meth, Ice, Glass |
| MDMA | Ecstasy, E, Adam, XTC, X |
| Opiates | Heroin, H, Hairy hombre, horse, Jones, Scag |
| Marijuana (THC) | Pot, Weed, Herb, Bud, MJ, Doobie, Reefer, Grass joint, Homegrown, Spliff |
| Phencyclidine | Angel dust, hog, Killer weed. |
5. How long can the drugs be detected in urine?
Answer
The following are guidelines only. The times can vary significantly from these estimates depending on how long the person has been taking the drug, amount of drug they use, or the person’s metabolism.
| Drug | Detection Times | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum | Maximum | |
| Amphetamines/ Methamphetamines (Speed/Uppers) | 4-6 hours | 2-3 days |
| Cocaine (Crack) | 2-6 hours | 2-3 days |
| Heroin (Opiates) | 2-6 hours | 1-3 days |
| Marijuana (Pot) | 1-3 hours | 1-30 days |
| Phencyclidine (Angel Dust/PCP) | 4-6 hours | 7-14 days |
6. How accurate is the test?
Answer
The test is sensitive to the presence of drugs in the urine. This means that if drugs are present, you will usually get a preliminary non negative result. If you get a preliminary non negative result, you should send the urine sample to our laboratory for a second, more accurate test.
55 consumers participated in a field study. The results of the study are summarized below. All 14 incorrect results are at drug concentrations at 50% ~ 150% of the cutoffs.
It is very important to send the urine sample to the lab, because the drug of abuse urine screening may give a non negative result when no drugs are actually present. Certain foods, food supplements, beverages, diet pills, or over-the-counter medicines can cause a reaction with the tests. Laboratories use a very reliable test, with very few errors, to determine whether or not your sample contains drugs.
Many things can affect the accuracy of this test, including but not limited to:
- The way you did the test
- The way you stored the test or urine
- Any prescription or over-the-counter drugs the person may have taken before the test
55 consumers participated in a field study. The results of the study are summarized below. All 14 incorrect results are at drug concentrations at 50% ~ 150% of the cutoffs.
| Drug | Cutoff Conc. (ng/ml) | # Test | Result Interpretation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Correct | Incorrect | |||
| AMP | 1000 | 220 | 217 | 3 |
| BAR | 200 | 220 | 219 | 1 |
| BZD | 300 | 220 | 217 | 3 |
| COC | 300 | 220 | 219 | 1 |
| MET or mAMP | 1000 | 220 | 219 | 1 |
| MOR | 2000 | 220 | 217 | 3 |
| MTD | 300 | 220 | 220 | 0 |
| PCP | 25 | 220 | 220 | 0 |
| THC | 50 | 220 | 219 | 1 |
| TCA | 1000 | 220 | 219 | 1 |
| MDMA | 500 | 220 | 220 | 0 |
7. If the test results are negative, can you be sure that the person did not take drugs?
Answer
No; there are several factors that can make the test results negative even though the person is using drugs. Because you may have tested for the wrong drugs. You may not have tested the urine when it contained drugs. It takes time for drugs to appear in the urine after a person takes them, and they do not stay in the urine indefinitely; you may have gotten the urine too soon or too late.
- The person knowingly added something to the urine to prevent it from reacting with the test chemicals.
- The chemicals in the test went bad because they were stored incorrectly or they passed their expiration date.
- If you get a negative result, but still suspect drug abuse, you can test again at a later time.
- You should also consider testing other types of drugs.
- Talk to our experts if you need more help deciding what steps to take next.
8. What is false positive result?
Answer
A false positive result is a screening test read positive when the drug or drug metabolite is not present or its concentration is less than the cutoff level.
9. What does Non Negative mean?
Answer
The Multi-Drug Urine Test is a screening test. It is the first step in a two-step process. Screening tests are not as accurate as laboratory test. It is possible to get a non negative result when the person did not take drugs. For example, some medicines and food may cause the screening tests to incorrectly read as a non negative. Although this is rare, things such as diet pills, inhalers and cough syrup can cause a false positive result. Consult with our experts to better understand how medications may interfere with this test.
10. Does a non negative screen test mean that you have found drugs of abuse?
Answer
No. Wait until you get the laboratory’s result. Remember that many factors may cause a false positive result in the home test. It is important to send any sample giving non negative results to the laboratory for further evaluation.
11. What if the lab test confirms a positive result?
Answer
The lab uses very accurate and reliable equipment to run the tests. If the lab reports a positive result, it means the drug was present in the urine sample. But do not assume the urine sample came from a drug abuser.
Consider all amphetamine results carefully, even those from the lab. Some over-the-counter medications contain amphetamines that cannot be distinguished from illegally abused amphetamines.
If you received a positive result and you do not believe the test, consult your doctor. They have your medical history and they can provide you with detailed information.
If a positive result was confirmed, you can consult our office to identify an MRO, Medical Review Officer who will help you.
