As workplace positivity rates increase, the growing sophistication of drug testing has led employees to evolve their cheating methods. Enforcing a safe working environment with a drug testing policy that uses tried and true methodologies must be a top priority for employers, particularly those in safety-sensitive industries. It is a widely accepted truth that a workplace is safer when employees are not under the influence of impairing substances. In addition, drug testing is only as good as the quality of the specimen tested.
With the opioid epidemic on the rise, increased cocaine and methamphetamine detection, and new laws legalizing recreational or medicinal marijuana in several states, employers are establishing stricter routines to combat a new threat: fake urine.
Fake urine is composed of chemicals, creatinine, yellow coloring and sometimes uric acid to mimic the characteristics of urine. Traditionally, fake urine has been used for purposes of testing the impact of urine on products such as diapers, mattresses, cleaning agents or medical devices. In addition, fake urine has been used for alternative medicine, scientific experiments and even drug testing to improve testing efficiency. With increased drug positivity rates and more common legally available drugs, it's also being used more frequently to try and fool drug tests.
Fake urine and drug testing: Star-crossed lovers?
Efforts to evade detection often lead donors to take desperate measures to avoid a positive result. This is the reason why fake urine continues to be used, despite the inherent risks of detection during a drug test. Studies show donors have attempted to use eye drops, household products, soft drinks, lemonade, dog urine and other adulterants based on myths and advertisements promising negative test results or inconclusive results that may give more time for the body to get rid of a prohibited substance before a retest is required.
Most of these cheating methods focus on dilution; however, some methods focus on substitution. With substitution, donors attempt to cheat by using fake or synthetic urine available in dry and liquid forms. These products can be purchased for approximately $15-$40, with the goal of mimicking the characteristics of an ideal specimen.
The most common purveyors of these items include "head shops," truck stops, the internet, and other retail outlets that sell products for smoking, possessing, and concealing cannabis, illegal substances and other "counterculture" products. Commonly, fake urine is advertised as "fetish urine" for research or as a novelty product. The content of the package and instructions drive home the purpose, with a focus on mixing, reaching proper temperatures and concealment. In limited instances, the product may come with a securing device that allows the user to conceal inside the holder until needed, presumably at the time of a drug test.
After obtaining the fake urine, donors are tasked with properly mixing, transporting and maintaining proper temperature to avoid detection. Donors will often try to slip the fake urine into the cup when they are directed to provide urine samples, and success rates at well-respected collection sites are very low.
The best way to avoid donor cheating is to establish a diversified drug testing program, which includes a variety of testing methodologies like hair or oral fluid, along with a random testing policy. Cheaters will try anything, so the more complex you make your drug testing program, the better the protection you are providing for your employees and your company.
Choose a lab that uses the most advanced screening technologies and methods to detect the presence of synthetic urine in a sample. This will also ensure that quality control measures are in place for those donors who do try to cheat a drug test, and implementing these measures will continue to ensure your company and employees remain safe while also maintaining compliance.
For more information, visit www.disa.com or call (800) 752-6432.
