Do you lie under the threat of an impending urine test? Do you need to know how to get a clean result fast? We would tell you to stop sweating it, but sweating could actually help your case. In this post, we will go through what the urine tests are, how they work and how you can beat them.
We look at beating them if you have a week to spare, and beating them if you only have a day to spare. Only got a few minutes because the test was sprung as a surprise – sorry, we cannot help you. But we can teach you how you can prepare yourself so that the next time it is not such a problem for you.
We look at completely natural techniques that are not going to damage your health. So, step away from the bleach. Bleach is dangerous and will be quickly picked up in your test. Our methods will work and won’t kill you in the process.
What Is a Urinalysis And How It Works?
It is simple – you pee into a cup. The cup is then sealed, marked and sent off to the lab for testing. Then the lab tech tests the urine for metabolites that would indicate drug use. In the case of weed, this is THC, but other drugs such as Cocaine can also be tested for.
How sensitive are urine drug tests? Well, they won’t cry if you bully them, but they will pick up even nominal pot usage anywhere between one and ten days after use, and sometimes even longer.
Purpose of the Urine Drug Test
The purpose of the urine drug screen is simple – to check if you have been using drugs. This test is more to determine if you have used recently, rather than determine the length of time you have been using.
Accuracy
The purpose of the urine drug screen is simple – to check if you have been using drugs. It is a quick, relatively inexpensive test that is fairly accurate. It takes about a day for the metabolites from Mary Jane to be picked up by your system.
For an occasional indulger, the test will work for drugs used in the last one to ten days. If you are a more regular user, it can detect use up to three months down the track.
Efficacy
The efficacy of the test depends on how the sample is collected and is tested. Error rates are said to be just one on ten thousand, but, if you think about that, the figure is pretty high.
If the lab doing the testing has followed the appropriate procedure during the collection stage and testing stage, the tests are accurate.
Of course, there are false positives that come up. Companies can ask you why the results were positive. From there, if you claim it is a false positive, they will be likely to ask for another test to be done. This time a much more accurate one, like blood testing.
Privacy
The main issue most people have with drug testing is that it is a violation of privacy. Most people being subjected to the tests are not users and never will be.
Think of it this way; if you were walking down the street, minding your own business, a police officer would not be allowed to pull you over and demand that you go to the police station for a urine test. They would have to have probable cause to justify this action.
It should work the same way with employers, but usually, it becomes a part of our employment contract that we will consent to random testing.
How Do Drugs End Up In the Urine?
As you use the marijuana, the active compounds are taken into your body and metabolized. This means that the actual TCH is taken through to the liver where it is broken down into many different metabolites.
Once this metabolization occurs, these compounds are released back into the bloodstream. Naturally, though, they are not going to circulate around your body forever.
Some of them will be taken up and stored by the body in the fatty tissue, primed for later use. Others are filtered out by the kidneys so that they can be excreted the next time that you urinate.
So, in a nutshell, it is the way the body processes the compounds in the weed that cause so much of it to end up in your bloodstream.
How to Prepare for a Urine Drug Test
So, the question then becomes, how to pass urine drug test for THC. The only guaranteed method is to abstain completely and to have done so for at least three months before being tested. That is not all that practical, though, is it?
If you know that you have a drug test coming up, stop using immediately and start a detox program for your body to encourage any residues to leave as fast as possible. We will go through the methods in more detail below.
Know How You Can Pass a Urine Drug Test
Detox Naturally
A natural urine detox for drug test is one of the safest ways to get the kind of results that you are looking for. The advantage of this method is that it is safe and that there are no other chemicals that may come up and make testers suspicious.
The problem with this method is that it takes time. You are basically going to drink tons of water and possibly taking some kind of laxative so that your system is cleaned out completely.
Cleanse Using a Detoxification Program
If you need to speed things up a little, a detoxification system could help you flush all the compounds out of your body. You will want to combine a detox product with a clean diet, exercise, and lots of water over a period of five to ten days.
During this time, it is essential that you abstain from any narcotic use at all.
The basic idea is simple:
- Read the instructions for the detox product and see what they suggest.
- Make sure that you drink enough water every single day. That means at least eight glasses, and more if you can manage it.
- Get your body pumping. Finding the energy to exercise may be tough during a detox, but it will speed up your results.
- Switch to clean eating – no sugar, trans-fats, etc. while you are following the program.
Home Remedies
There are a number of home remedies that you can try to get clean urine for drug test. The Certo (Sure-Jell) Method, involves using fruit pectin as your primary defense just before the test. Here’s what you do.
- Get yourself a pack of Certo or similar fruit pectin
- Get a Lemon-Lime Gatorade that comes in at 32 ounces
- Find a gallon of drinking water
- Get hold of some Vitamin B2 or Vitamin B12
Mix together the Certo and Gatorade until completely combined about three hours before the test is due. Gulp it down – it isn’t nice but do it. Finish off with some water. For the next few hours before the test, drink that water and be sure to go to the toilet three or four times before you need to do the test.
When there is just one hour to go, drink the Vitamin B to give the urine a bit of color, finish the water and you should be ready to go.
Synthetic Urine
If you need to pass piss test in a hurry, synthetic urine could be a possibility for you. It is not the most fool-proof method, but it could help out if your boss suddenly tells you everyone needs to report for urine testing in a few hours.
You buy a kit, warm the urine and then have to hide it somewhere on your body to make sure that you can use it without being seen. It all depends on how strict the testers are as to whether this has a shot of working or not.
Dilution
Dilution works by drinking as much water as possible to dilute the sample as much as possible. The more water there is in the sample, in theory, the fewer metabolites there will be as well. This could work, but it is likely that the testers will pick up fast that the urine is very watery.
You can try taking some Vitamin B or Vitamin B12 about an hour before you go in to improve the color. On the bright side, this will prevent you from getting a positive result. On the downside, the testers are liable to ask for a second test at a later date.
Either way, it buys you some time.
Substitution
If you need to know how to pass urine drug test in 24 hours, the safest method, if you can pull it off, is substitution with someone else’s pee. These days, this can be something that might be difficult to do. First off, most techs will pat you down to look for evidence that you are hiding a bag of pee.
Secondly, in some cases, the tech actually watches you pee. If they don’t and you can smuggle urine in, make sure that the sample is from someone who is the same sex as you and that the sample is body temperature.
How to Pass a Urine Drug Test In a Week
With these tests, the more time you have, the better. A week can be plenty of time. Your move here would be to combine a detox program with healthy eating, drinking a lot of water, and exercising as much as possible.
You want to prompt your body to get rid of any toxins. That means starting with a product that will clean it out completely. Check the instructions on the detox kit, if it is safe to do so, use it at least three times in the week leading up to your urinalysis.
In the meantime, drink as much water as possible and consider doing a daily sweat session at your local gym after your workout to really help pull out any residue.
If you are a weed lover only and you want to know how to pass a urine drug test for weed in a week, the same basic detox rules apply – drink lots of water, get exercise and use a product that cleanses your system completely. It can also help to take a laxative during this time. While this is not going to affect your urine much, it reduces the amount of TCH that may be bound up in your bowels.
It will help you remove as much of the substance as possible before you need to face the technician.
It goes without saying, but I am going to say it anyway, don’t use any marijuana at this time at all. Don’t use it and stay away from others that do.
What Drugs Show Up In a Urine Test?
It might be shorter to just go through what wouldn’t show up. Overall, urinalysis can be used to test for the following different drugs.
- Pot: Between one and seven days
- Cocaine: Between two to three days
- Speed: Between two to three days
- Heroine: Between one and three days
- PCP: Between seven and fourteen days
- Benzodiazepine: Between one and four days
- Ecstasy: Between two and four days
- Barbituates: Between one to three weeks
- Oxycodone: Between one and two days
- Tricyclic Antidepressants: Between two and seven days
- Methadone: Between one and three days.
So, as you can see, there are a lot of other substances that can be tested for. Most companies are not going to test for all of them. And, just so that you know, the times above generally relate to casual users, not people using every day.
How Long Can Drugs Be Detected In Your System?
In the section above, we have gone through the minimum amount of time it may take for the traces of substances to leave the average person’s system. How long it will be for you will depend on:
- How much and how often you use pot. The more often you indulge and the larger the amount you smoke at any one time, the higher the chances are of it staying in your system for longer. It can stay there for as long as three months.
- The type: MJ is fat-soluble and, as a result, it can be stored in the fatty tissues. The more fatty tissue you have, the higher the potential for residue and the longer it will stay in the system.
Procedures for Taking a Urine Drug Test
The procedures are usually very much the same in all cases. You will need to be taken to a private area. You may be asked to remove clothing such as jackets and sweaters to make it easier to pat you down.
The technician collecting the samples will then pat you down to ensure that you do not have anything concealed on your person. You will have to relinquish and backpack or purse as well. You will not be able to take anything in with you.
What happens next depends on how strict the company is. In some tests, the examiner will wait outside while you complete your business. In others, they will follow you into the stall itself.
Once you have urinated into the prepared jar, the tech will often test the heat of the sample, and then seal it up and make it ready to transport.
What Companies and Institutions Do Urine Drug Tests
Schools
Schools will often have a random drug testing policy in place. This could apply to both the students and the teachers. This is intended to help reduce the number of drug-related incidents in the school and ensure that kids have a safe school environment.
As a student, you could technically refuse to allow them to test you, but it would look extremely suspicious and might constitute grounds for expulsion from the school.
It is better to submit to the testing, after trying to detox as far as possible, than to refuse it altogether.
Hospitals
This one is logical. Would you like your doctor to be hopped up on meth while operating on you? Of course not, it would not be safe for them to do so. Random drug tests are often conducted on a range of hospital staffers to ensure that they do not have a dependency issue.
Most of the time, an agreement to these random or scheduled tests will be worked into the employment contract. Refusal to take the test could result in dismissal.
MIllitary
Just like in the case of a hospital, you would not want someone who carries a weapon or operates heavy machinery like tanks, or Humvees to be under the influence. Drug testing is usually mandatory when applying for a position in the military.
Random drug tests may also be performed as and when required. You will not have the option of refusing to take them and may find yourself in a lot of hot water if you do try to do so.
Airlines
Airlines are another industry that will require, you to undergo testing and that insist on clean results. Random testing is to be expected as well. The only way an airline wants anyone on its flight crew high is when the airplane flies to a new altitude.
Otherwise, they expect you always to be clean and sober. Considering the potential consequences if you are not, this is understandable.
Failing your urinalysis or refusing to go through with it will usually result in you facing disciplinary action or being fired.
Private Companies
The industries that we listed above are the ones most likely to want to conduct screening either before they employ you, or periodically while you are employed. It is not an exhaustive list by any means – any company can decide to do the same thing.
Normally they will let you know during the initial interview process if they want one upfront. The conditions of employment will usually spell out that this will be something that is required on a periodic basis or at the discretion of management.
Urine Drug Test Results Explained
The results will depend on the concentration of the metabolites picked up. The Department of Transportation, for example, considers 50 nanograms per milliliter of TCH to be a good indication that you had been an active participant. Good luck explaining your way out of that one.
A lower concentration of say, 25 nanograms per milliliter, you could make the excuse that someone around you was smoking it and not you. The problem when it comes to something like a job interview, however, is that they are bound to question what type of crowd you hang with.
What to Do if You Have a False Positive Drug Test
Legally speaking, if you test positive on a pre-employment screening, there is not much recourse available to you. You can ask to be retested by your potential employer is not obliged to do so.
If you are already employed, and your boss suddenly asks for a screening, and you then test positive, you may have a problem. False positives are rare, but they can happen if the testing was not conducted correctly.
You can challenge the results and request a retest, or that the procedure at the lab is explained in full to see if there were any procedural lapses.
At this time, you should also list any prescription medications you are on in case there may have been a reaction with these.
Test Yourself at Home
Want to make absolutely sure that there are no surprises waiting for you after you have taken the time to detox your system completely? Home urine drug test kits can be extremely useful in this regard.
They are simple enough to use – you urinate into the container provided. Depending on the type of kit, you may need to send it in for results. However, more modern kits will allow you to check the levels directly by piping the urine into the receptacle provided.
These kits are useful, but will not be able to check for every single compound. So, make sure that the one you choose works for what you need it for. Otherwise, you will need to consider the type that you send away.
Comparisons
In this post, we have dealt with urinalysis. What other types are there, and how do they stack up?
- Urinalysis: This is a relatively accurate test and one of the least expensive to run. It will tell whether or not someone has used a tested substance recently but won’t give an indication of prolonged use.
- Hair Test: This is harder to beat because doing so means destroying the hair. It gives a pattern of usage but might be able to tell you the most recent usage.
- Nail Test: Again, this is a difficult one to beat – no detox is going to help here. It is very accurate but requires a few millimeters of nail clippings from each finger.
- Blood Test: This is highly accurate to tell whether or not someone is currently under the influence but not as accurate after the effect.
- Perspiration Test: This is not used as often. It can give an accurate idea of whether or not someone is high, but won’t be much good for determining a pattern of use.
FAQ
Conclusion
Well, everything you did and did not want to know about urinalysis drug testing. It is usually pretty accurate, relatively inexpensive and can detect past usage to a small degree. The only real way to get through this completely clean is not to have used in the last three months or so.
Detoxing and drinking as much water as possible can help to dilute the urine to a point where the results are less conclusive, but to do this effectively, you need time. Drinking fruit pectin and a lot of water and Gatorade on the day of the test might be useful if you don’t have time.
There are a few ways to game the system – using false urine, or someone else’s, for example, but the effectiveness of these methods really depends on how strict the testing technician is. They are also pretty wise to tricks like diluting the sample, etc. so use them with caution.