MythBusters –

Dispelling Drug Testing

Myths

Paul L. Cary, M.S.

Forensic Toxicology
Consultant
CBD Won’t Test Positive Myth:
! CBD & THC almost identical chemical
structures
! CBD is largely unregulated (even those
claiming to be “pure”)
CBD Questions:
! CBD labels accurately describe contents of the
product being marketed/sold MYTH
! Let’s Review The Facts:
! many CBD products provide no concentration
information
! significant percentage of CBD products under
state their CBD concentration
! large number of CBD products contain THC
concentrations higher than allowed by law
SAMHSA Study:
In one study, the amount of CBD in
69% of the 84 tested CBD products was
inconsistent with that on the label (less
than 0.3% – legal requirement), and
some products contained unlabeled
cannabinoids, including THC in
amounts up to 6.4 mg/mL
CBD Myths:
! CBD products labeled as
“pure” 100% CBD should not
cause a positive urine drug
test result for THC.

All of the above: FALSE!

 CBD Facts about CBD
products:
! no concentration information
! incorrect concentration information
! under state the CBD concentration
! many contain THC or other cannabinoid
chemicals as “by-products”
! large number contain THC concentrations
higher than allowed by law
! “Russian roulette” with regards to testing
Delta 8 Myth (or Delta 10):
! Delta 8 THC won’t test positive on a drug test
! Delta-8 THC metabolites look just like Delta-9
THC metabolites
! initial immunoassay screens will generally test
positive for cannabinoids for both D-8 & D-9

FALSE!
 Items Often Banned by
Treatment Courts
• alcohol
• poppy seeds
• creatine
• alcohol-containing OTC medicines
• dietary supplements
• energy drinks
• homeopathic/herbal substances
• sports nutrition powders
• anything not regulated by FDA
Treatment Court Prohibitions:
Treatment courts should prohibit the use of
any materials (i.e. chemicals, ingestibles,
drugs, non-medicinal products, non-FDA
approved supplements, etc.) that have the
potential to interfere with the court’s ability
to accurately and reliably evaluate or
interpret the results of abstinent monitoring
testing – unless, that material has been legally
prescribed by a licensed physician.
Passive Inhalation Myth:
! passive inhalation (second-hand smoke) of
marijuana smoke can cause a “positive”
drug test result.
! NO! - not if standard cutoffs are used
! THC (cannabinoid) assay uses variable
cutoffs (20/25 or 50 ng/mL)
! passive inhalation research indicates less
than 10 ng/mL in volunteer urines
The Excuse:
“I’m still positive for
THC because of excess
body fat.”
The Excuse:
“I’m positive for THC
because I’m on a diet
and breaking down fat
cells containing THC.”
The Excuse:
“I’m positive for THC
because I exercise a lot
and I’m burning up fat
cells containing THC.”
The Excuse:
“I’m positive for THC
because I had a deep
tissue massage.”
The Excuse:
“I’m positive for THC
because I was in a hot tub
and the THC was sweat
out of my fat cells.”
Body Fat Myth:
! body fat and/or obesity significantly
influences the results of drug tests for
marijuana
! NO!
! body fat excuses by clients widespread
! lean versus obese comparison
Poppy Seed Myth:
! consuming poppy seeds (i.e.,
eating poppy seed bagels) can
cause a positive urine drug test for
opiates
! What would Adam & Jamie do?
And, the results are . .
Cordant Laboratory Study
Place a poppy prohibition in
your agreement and don’t
allow clients to use this excuse
to “explain away” a positive
urine opiate test result!
Drink Some “Acid” Myth:
! drinking vinegar or cranberry juice will
produce a “negative” urine drug test.
! NO!
! theory is to cause a “pH shift”, making
the urine sample acidic - altering the
chemistry of immunoassay tests
! in reality - the body detoxifies the acid &
dilutes to physiological pH
Vitamin Myth:
! consuming large does of vitamins (niacin
- B3) purges marijuana from the system
and/or speeds up its elimination from
the body by increasing a person’s rate of
metabolism

FALSE!
Blood Testing is Best Myth:
! blood is a good alternative specimen for drugs
of abuse testing
! FALSE!
" sample of limited volume
" “dirty”sample (protein, blood cells, lipids)
" drugs in low concentrations
" parent drugs with short half-life
" many testing methods not sufficiently
sensitive
 Are You
Serious!?!
Myth:
! beer-battered fish can cause a positive
urine test for alcohol

FALSE!
Creatine Tampering Myth:

TWO ISSUES:
1. Creatine ingestion and its affect on urine creatinine
concentrations.

2. High protein food ingestion and its affect on urine

creatinine concentrations.
Creatine Supplement Issue:
! food has little or no immediate effect on urine
creatinine concentrations
! WEB SITE IS WRONG!!
! consuming over-the-counter creatine can disguise
pre-collection hydration and a diluted urine
! creatine converted to creatinine can mask urine
sample dilution efforts
! in reality - very difficult for participants to titrate
the intake timing and volume of creatine and
dilution liquid
The “Drink This” Myth:
! If you eat or drink __________ ,
it will cleanse your body of the
drugs.

All most always FALSE!

The “Drink This” Myth:
! these cleansing strategies are almost
always based upon ingestion volume
! has little, if anything, to do with any
“magical” chemical that enhances
drug elimination
! some of these products contain
creatine
Pectin Myth:
! Sure-Jell or Certo is an effective
technique clients can use to adulterate
urine samples and produce negative
test results.

FALSE!
 Sure Jell/Certo - Pectin
! pectin - complex carbohydrate found in
plant cells (skins & seeds of fruit)
! pectin used to “set” jams & jellies
! “activation” of pectin requires boiling
! pectin (ingested/added directly) may
cause urine to be more viscous
Exchange of Bodily
Fluids Myth:

! having sex with someone who uses

drugs will cause a positive urine drug
screen in an abstinent client

FALSE!
Prescription Drug Myth:
! Urine drug testing is an excellent strategy for
monitoring clients using prescription drugs
and determining potential abuse of prescribed
medications.

FALSE!

! urine drug testing is a qualitative tool!

Drug testing is an excellent tool for the
abstinence monitoring of court clients
however it provides limited information
for the differentiation between the
appropriate therapeutic use of prescribed
medications and the misuse/abuse of
those same drugs - regardless of the
specimen tested.
Other Control Strategies
! search & seizure (client contract)
! healthcare contact forms
! pill counts
! no out-of-state prescriptions
! use of specified pharmacies
! loss of completion credits/time
while on certain prescription meds
Dentist Visit Myth:

! Having a novocaine shot from a dentist

will cause a positive urine drug test
result for cocaine.

!FALSE!
The Excuse:
“I tested positive for
cocaine because I used
Orajel/Anbesol for a tooth
ache.” (benzocaine)
The Excuse:
“I tested positive for
cocaine because I got a
bad sunburn and
applied Solarcaine .”
®
Diabetes Myth:
! A client with diabetes is likely to
produce dilute specimens (with urine
creatinine levels of less than 20 mg/dL)
because of his/her disease.

Probably False!
Diabetes & Creatinine
! what does the research say
! question is whether diabetes causes dilute
urine samples - the answer is NO!
! average urine creatinine level for a non-
Hispanic black participant, 20-49 years of age
is 180 mg/dL - subtract 30 mg/dL of
creatinine for a diabetic condition, starting
with an average urine creatinine level of 150
mg/dL
 Cooked Foods Have No
Alcohol Myth:
! The act of cooking/heating foods that
contain alcohol liberates the alcohol in
the process, thus producing alcohol-free
food.

False!
Alcohol in Food - Cook’s Illustrated Study
(2005) “A Few Sobering Thoughts”

! beef burgundy - three hours in oven,

lid on, 40% alcohol retained

! flambé recipes - igniting brandy over

high heat 29% alcohol retained -
igniting brandy in cold pan 57%
alcohol retained
Hemp Products Are OK Myth:
! Food and beauty products containing
hemp seed will not lead to a positive
THC (cannabinoid) test.

False!
Exercise Myth:
! strenuous exercise will cleanse your
body of drugs
! a quick trip to the gym the morning of a
surprise test will do nothing to help your
chances of passing

FALSE!
Hair Washing Myth:
! Washing hair with “special” shampoos
will remove drugs of abuse from hair
“Special”
Shampoos

False! This stuff doesn’t work!

Baking Soda Myth:
! consuming baking soda will
produce a negative drug test for meth
! sodium bicarbonate
! No research to support this theory!
! “Over 500 Fabulous, Fun, and Frugal
Uses You've Probably Never Thought
Of” by Vicki Lansky she mentions
nothing about using Baking Soda to pass
a drug test
Baking Soda Myth:
! Ur-ine Trouble, 200 pages – no
mention of baking soda
! Arm & Hammer – largest mining
company of sodium bicarbonate does
drug testing a gets positive results
! sodium bicarbonate is a naturally
occurring body chemical
FALSE!
“Just Holding It” Myth:
! “Holding” drugs “for a friend” produces
positive drug test results.

! Really!!!! Pleading to a felony in order to

beat a drug test?

FALSE!
email address:
! carypl@missouri.edu