Most employers give utmost importance to drug testing because they are aware that an effective drug testing program provides a safe and productive work environment, and to reduce workers’ compensation claims.
Though companies are putting efforts to increase workplace safety and productivity, some employees try to cheat on their drug testing, which puts companies and other employees at risk. The best way to pass a drug test is obvious and that is to avoid drugs but we believe it's equally important to support you to find solutions to help you pass a drug test.
Here is 12 panel urine drug test kit that tests for the most commonly used drugs to help you with pre-employment drug testing.
Book your nearest lab (within 5 miles radius) for your drug test at USHealthTesting. USHealthTesting offers lab testing nationwide in 3000+ locations. Just enter your zip code, choose the nearest lab, and the drug test of choice.
Table Of Contents:
- How to pass a drug test in 24 hours?
- How to pass a drug test in 2 days naturally?
- How to pass a drug test fast?
- How to detox for drug test?
- Top 6 Methods of Drug Testing
- How to pass a drug test in general?
- Mouth Swab or Saliva Drug Test
- Federal and State Drug Testing Laws
- How to pass a mouth swab or saliva drug test?
- How to pass a hair follicle drug test?
- How to pass a drug test for weed or MMJ?
- How to pass a urine drug test?
- How to pass a drug test for meth?
- Finally, how to beat a drug test?
- Use of legal or illegal drugs during work can cause?
A drug testing or screening is done to determine the presence or absence of certain drugs and/or their metabolites in biological samples such as urine, blood, hair, breath, sweat, saliva with specificity, sensitivity and accuracy.
How to pass a drug test in 24 hours?
THC can be found in the urine two days after using MMJ or weed. If a person has to undergo a drug test in 24 hours, the following steps can be employed to pass a drug test in 24 hours:
- The easiest and cheapest solution is to drink lots of water and fluids in a bid to make the concentration of THC metabolites in the urine to way below the detectable levels.
- There are many detox drinks available in the market that promise a same-day detox cleanse, flushing the system of unwanted toxins, including THC.
- Other option would be to use over-the-counter drug testing kits. One can purchase an over-the-counter drug testing kit from a local pharmacy or drugstore, and see if one could pass the test or order here and choose overnight shipping. It is the quickest way to see if a detox drink was effective in flushing THC from the system, but one should be careful since take-home tests are rarely as accurate as laboratory tests.
How to pass a drug test in 2 days naturally?
If end goal is to pass a drug test in 2 days naturally, then the best bet is likely to drink lots of fluids and flush all of the metabolites out through the excretory system, even though the 2-day mark for complete “cleanliness” is by no means any guarantee.
Repeated swishing with water vigorously around the mouth and rinsing might help in diluting and lowering the concentration of metabolites in the oral fluids. There are suggestions regarding chewing on as much ice as possible. This will help in diluting the THC compounds in the saliva hopefully below the testable levels and also maintain hydration.
Eating fatty food is another great tip. THC is a fat-soluble substance that will get absorbed quickly into lipids, but not into the water. Thus, consumption of fat before an oral swab drug test could boost the THC absorption rate, which will transform THC into THC-COOH. It is important to keep in mind that this may get off the hook for a saliva test, but will increase the amount of THC-COOH stored in fat cells.
How to pass a drug test fast?
Unfortunately, the only way to ensure that you pass a drug test is to be drug-free. If this is not an option, you can try and delay the drug test for as long as possible. This will give some more time to get any toxins out of the system and increase the chances of passing.
There are several hacks to increase the chances of passing:
- Diluting the urine by drinking plenty of water and fluids on the day before the test so as to make it harder to pick up THC metabolites. A vitamin B supplement can be taken along with extra water to give the urine a more natural yellow color and avoid stirring suspicion.
- Using diuretics to stimulate urination and help flush out toxins from the system. Stronger diuretics may be a more reliable option and can be availed through prescription if you need to take a drug test at short notice.
- Avoid exercise. Exercising can increase the amount of THC in urine by releasing it from fat cells though the evidence is inconclusive.
- To be stress free. Unexpected drug tests may tend to increase one’s stress levels. Therefore, one should try and stay as calm as possible before the test. A study from 2009 has revealed that THC is released by fat cells in the presence of adrenocorticotropic hormone, a hormone involved in the stress response.
- Faking a drug test. One can buy a powdered synthetic kits designed to be mixed with water and heated to the right temperature using a special pad. The downside is that you may not have time to prepare. Another option is to get a clean sample from someone else and switch it for your own. The downside is smuggling it into the test and heating it to the right temperature can be tricky. One should also note that within a few hours, urine starts to change pH and grow bacteria, so the chances of being caught and rejected.
How to detox for a drug test?
Detoxification is a process where toxic substances are removed from the body or waiting for a drug to clear the bloodstream on its own. It is safer and healthier to allow the drugs and their metabolites to leave the body unassisted as opposed to toxic drugs such as cocaine or 6-MAM for which there are medications to facilitate detoxification.
Detox methods
- Detox naturally.
- Detox with detoxification products in 3 to 6 days.
- Same day cleansers to detox in 24 hours.
- Drinking excessive amounts of water to flush out toxins.
- Drinking tea and lemon juice. Tea is a natural detoxing agent.
- Healthy eating habits, taking more vegetables and fiber.
- Clinical Setting Detox. Methadone is a recommended treatment for short term and long term detox.
- Prescription medications like lorazepam and carbamazepine are often used to relieve withdrawal symptoms in alcohol detoxing.
- Detox shampoos like Psychemedics PDT90, ZYDOT Ultra Clean Shampoo, Clear Choice Hair Follicle Shampoo, etc., can be used for hair follicle drug test.
Methods of Drug Testing:
- Urine Drug Test: The presence or absence of certain drugs and/or their metabolites (i.e. drug residues that remain in the body for some time after the drug effects have worn off) are analyzed in the donor’s urine sample.
- Blood Test: Helps in the measurement of actual amount of alcohol or other drugs in the blood and also renders an accurate measure of the physiologically active drug present in a person. The detection period is also very short since most of the drugs get cleared from the blood and deposit into the urine.
- Breath Test: This type of test is done to find out the amount of alcohol in the blood, commonly known as breath-alcohol test. A person blows into the breath-alcohol device and Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) level in the blood is analyzed.
- Saliva Drug Test: The samples are collected in the form of swabs or oral fluids to detect drug or alcohol traces. The saliva or oral swab test is quick and easy to administer. This test looks for drug residues that were ingested orally in the last 24 to 48 hours after use.
- Sweat Test: Skin patch test used to measure drugs in the sweat. This method is not widely used due to compliance issues.
- Hair Follicle Drug Test: This type of analysis provides a much longer testing window for infrequent and frequent substance use/abuse, i.e. going back as far as 90 days giving a more complete drug-use history. This is the least form of intrusive testing and more expensive than other types of drug tests, but results are very accurate.
Drug metabolites are stored throughout the body awaiting excretion and some find their way into the hair shafts. It takes a couple of days before the metabolites go out of the body by growing out into the hair shaft itself and this results in a permanent record of drug use.
How to pass a drug test in general?
To pass a drug test, the only best way is not to have drugs or alcohol in your system. Some drugs including MMJ, a residue may show up in drug tests for weeks. If one does not believe the positive drug test results are accurate, then the individual can have the specimen retested at a lab of choice at his/her own expense. One can also check with the company for information on how to request a retest.
Drugs remain in the human system:
- Amphetamines: 1 to 3 days, depending on type
- Opiates/6-MAM: 1 to 4 days
- Phencyclidine (PCP): 1 to 2 weeks
- MMJ/Cannabis: 3 to 30 days, depending on usage
- Cocaine: 2 to 10 days
- Methadone: 2 to 7 days
- Barbiturates: 2 to 15 days
- Benzodiazepines: 2 to 10 days
- Methaqualone: 10 to 15 days
- Propoxyphene: 6 hours to 2 days
- Methamphetamine: 2 to 3 days
Note: Hair drug testing may show results that go back farther than what would show up in blood or urine testing.
Drugs can be detected in:
- Urine - up to 48 hours
- Saliva - up to three days
- Hair - up to three months
Mouth Swab or Saliva Drug Test
A mouth swab drug test uses oral fluids or saliva to test for the presence of drugs and alcohol. Employers utilize these tests since they are quick and easy to administer. This type of drug test generally looks for drug residues that were ingested orally in the last 24 to 48 hours after use.
Mouth swab tests have increased in popularity over the years and are typically used to test for the presence of alcohol, MMJ, cocaine, PCP, amphetamines and methamphetamines.
Advantages of an oral drug test are:
- Non-invasive (fewer issues with privacy)
- Easy to administer randomly on-site
- Convenient (no nurses or technicians needed)
- Results can be determined instantly
- Less expensive than other drug tests
- Not easy to tamper with
The mouth swab drug test is believed to be one of the easier tests to pass once you know how to do it.
Federal and State Drug Testing Laws
Policies involving drug testing vary from state to state. Some states have limits as to when and how drug screening can be carried out and others have restrictions on what circumstances can prompt employers to test for drug or alcohol use.
In many states, private companies or employers are allowed legally to test employees for wellness and safety reasons, and to prohibit illegal activity in the workplace that may result from drug use or to enhance productiveness in the workplace.
Federal laws such as the Drug-free Workplace Act of 1988 are devised to target workplace substance use. They legally require some employers to take action against the use of drugs in the workplace such as by developing written policies. Some industries including transportation, defense and aviation are required to test applicants and employees for drug use.
Employers Use Mouth Swab Drug Tests:
- Pre-employment
- Background test
- Post-incident
- Random drug testing
How to pass a mouth swab or saliva drug test?
Employers and law enforcement agencies can now conduct mouth swab or saliva drug test anywhere and at any time since they are inexpensive and fast. Mouth swab tests have the most proximate detection window and a best bet to detect immediate or very recent cannabis consumption.
To pass a mouth swab or saliva drug test, it is very important to know what the swab test is looking for and how long one is at risk for. If a person is expecting a saliva drug test in the next few days, the person could just hold off on smoking, drinking alcohol or stop ingesting any drugs for a few days prior.
The easiest way to pass a drug test is by having no traces of drug in the system, i.e., getting rid of the drug in the body naturally by giving sometime. Traces of weed/THC can be detected in saliva 1 to 3 days after the last toke for occasional smokers; however, detection window may extend up to a month for a regular or heavy smoker.
Some of the detox methods used to beat the test successfully:
- Abstain from consuming drugs for up to 72 hours.
- After abstaining from weed, frequently wipe the mouth tissue, i.e., the area between the gums and cheeks using a sponge swab in order to remove as many traces of THC as possible and reduce its concentration in the oral fluids.
- Increasing flow of saliva by sipping water frequently throughout the day in the days leading to the test.
- Brushing the teeth twice daily as well as tongue and cheeks.
- Rinsing mouth with a lot of water (could either swallow or spit the water). This helps in diluting and lowering the concentration of metabolites in the oral fluids besides boosting the secretion of fresh saliva with a presumably lower THC concentration.
- Swishing with mouthwash can work better in lowering the concentration of THC in the oral fluids than rinsing with water and offers much better results. One needs to avoid alcohol-based mouthwashes especially in the hours before the test as they might trigger a false positive in case you are being tested for alcohol as well.
How to pass a hair follicle drug test?
Over the years, employment hair follicle drug testing has increased in popularity for several reasons. Hair follicle drug tests look for habitual and regular consumption. The detection window for this type of test is approximately 90 days, i.e., this drug test has the longest time frame.
The hair follicle drug test results are hard to alter, sustainable and easily collected. It helps in identifying drug users within a certain time frame. Despite the fact that hair follicle drug testing is quite invasive and more expensive than other types of drug tests, it is very accurate and is upheld in court.
In hair follicle drug testing process, the first 1.5 inches of hair is measured from the scalp since it provides about a 90-day window based on how fast human hair grows. It is generally used to test amphetamine, methamphetamine, MMJ, ecstasy, cocaine, PCP, opioids (codeine, morphine, 6-acetyl morphine), etc. So if a person has smoked or ingested legal or illicit drugs regularly in the past three months, it is very likely the person is going to fail the test.
Passing a hair follicle drug test is majorly a question of timing. If there is enough warning in advance, then switching to abstinence mode and not smoking or ingesting legal or illicit drugs for 90 days or more would be the best action plan.
One should be aware that it takes 5 to 10 days for “contaminated hair” to break through to the surface of the scalp. Hair follicle drug test for weed is extremely sensitive, but regular MMJ use will put enough THC in the hair to trigger a positive. If a person has only smoked or ingested a few times in the past 90 days, the chances of passing through the test are merely good.
The hair follicle drug test will not detect single use of a drug. Cocaine and methamphetamine are probably the most readily incorporated into hair and they are likely to return a positive test if drugs are used more than three times during the growing period, while most other drugs must be used at least a dozen times within the detection time.
How to pass a drug test for weed or MMJ?
The effects of MMJ or weed fade away quickly, but the drug can be detected in the body for weeks and sometimes longer. The active ingredients and breakdown products of weed or MMJ can remain in the system from a few hours to 90 days, depending on how often or how much the person has been using.
MMJ or Weed Detection Time:
- Blood and Saliva: A few hours
- Urine:
- One-time use: Up to 13 hours
- Regular use: Up to 45 hours
- Heavy use: Up to 90 hours
- Hair: Up to 90 days
If a person is required to take a urine test on short notice for employment or other purposes and has recently smoked or ingested weed or MMJ, then the person is probably going to fail the test. This is especially true in a regular or heavy user.
Ways to eliminate THC out of the system:
- Abstaining from consuming or smoking MMJ or cannabis products beforehand will increase the probability to pass the test.
- Drinking lots of water to speed up excretion of THC or help mask its presence.
- Trying out simple detox drinks with diuretic substances might help.
- Activated charcoal is another method used in treating poisoning and it has been scientifically proven to absorb harmful toxins. Charcoal is activated to enhance the chemical reaction produced when ingested.
How to pass a urine drug test?
Flushing out drug metabolites from the system to pass a urine drug test can be a tedious task that requires time and dedication. It usually takes several days to weeks to completely flush out toxins.
- One can naturally detox by abstaining from consuming any type of drugs. Healthy eating habits and drinking lots of fluids and water can also aid in flushing out toxins.
- One can use same day cleansing tablets or liquids.
- Use detox drinks or special beverages to remove drug metabolites from the bladder.
- Using synthetic urine formulas.
How to pass a drug test for meth?
In United States, methamphetamine or meth is a stimulant that speeds up the body’s systems and is classified as a Schedule II drug. It is the second most popular illicit drug in the world with high potential for abuse, possibly leading to severe psychological or physical dependence. Some of the common street names are meth, speed, crank, glass, crystal and ice.
The prescription form of methamphetamine is Desoxyn. It is used in treating ADHD and short-term treatment for obesity.
Detection window for methamphetamine or meth in the human body depends on many parameters including type of test used, the method of use, individual’s health, age, physical activity, metabolism, and frequency of use.
Detection window for methamphetamine:
- Blood: 1 to 3 days
- Saliva: 1 to 4 days
- Urine: Single use 1 to 4 days; Heavy use up to a week
- Hair: Up to 90 days
Meth or methamphetamine takes about 10 hours for half of the ingested dose to be metabolized and eliminated from the bloodstream. When taken orally, concentrations of methamphetamine peak in the bloodstream between 2.6 and 3.6 hours, and the metabolite peaks at 12 hours. If meth is taken intravenously, the elimination is a little longer at about 12.2 hours.
Liver enzyme breaks down the methamphetamine or meth and gets excreted by the kidneys in urine into amphetamine and 4-hydromethamphetamine.
There are a bunch of false claims and myths when it comes to passing a meth drug test. The only way to get meth out of the system is to abstain from using the drug and giving the body time to metabolize and eliminate it. Staying healthy by taking good diet, doing regular exercise and adequately hydrating with water may also help metabolize the substance more quickly.
Frequent or heavy meth users can detox from the drug safely through the withdrawal and treatment process under the care of medical professional.
Finally, how to beat a drug test?
Depending on the timing of the drug test, one can beat the drug test by following legal strategies:
- Find out the exact date of the test and adjust or abstain from using drugs accordingly. Three days’ notice is adequate to clear most drugs out of the system. Workplace tests tend to occur in a predictable pattern, probation tests tend to be on a set schedule, and random testing would not come as a surprise. One can watch the calendar.
- Drink plenty of water. The more dilute the urine is, the less detectable any drugs will be. The lab will disapprove samples that are too watery. This will be done through chemical testing, so taking vitamin pills will not be of help (vitamin pills tend to turn the pee yellow).
- First morning pee tends to be the most concentrated, so getting it out of the way before heading to the lab will be of some help.
There are many sneaky strategies that can be tried with caution. There are many products, strategies and home remedies that might work, but most of them are risky in one way or the other. You might not know what exactly you might be putting in your body if you are trying out remedies or buying a sketchy detox product.
Usage of legal or illegal drugs while working can cause:
- Decreased productivity
- Lower employee morale
- Poor decision making
- Theft
- Disciplinary actions
- Put people in danger
- Decreased profits
- Damage to the company’s reputation
It is always worth being familiar with the state laws and the company’s policies regarding drug testing. By being aware of the rights, any person will know whether he/she can refuse a last-minute drug test and possibly save their job.