Drug and Alcohol Screening FAQs

1. What will my urine be tested for? Cannabis, amphetamines, opiates (heroin), benzodiazepines (sleeping tablets/ antidepressants), methadone, barbiturates, alcohol and cocaine. All possible adulterant substances are checked for. 2. What if my specimen is diluted? If you drink more than 2-3 cups of water before having your urine collected, you may provide a sample which is too dilute for testing. This is determined by measuring the level of creatinine in the urine. If the creatinine level is too low, then the sample cannot be tested and must be recollected. 3. Who gets the results of the drug screen? The results are strictly confidential and will only be released to those you have specified on your form. 4. Will I be watched when giving the specimen? The only sure way to confirm that the urine in the sample cup came from you is for the sample to be directly witnessed. This will always be done with maximum possible regard for the individual’s privacy 5. What if I want independent testing? If you request that the sample be split into two jars at the point of collection, the second sample is available and can be retested by a different laboratory. 6. I am taking prescribed medication, how do I know if it is going to show up? If you are in any doubt, you should check with the doctor who prescribed your medication. The analysis will be able to differentiate prescription and ‘over the counter’ medications from illicit drugs. 7. Can I have a blood test instead of a urine test to check for drugs of abuse? A blood test cannot be used since laboratory assays for these substances in blood are not available. 8. Can poppy seeds cause a false positive result? Some sources of poppy seeds do contain some morphine and low concentrations of other opiates. Ingestion of reasonable amounts of these products can cause an initial positive result to opiates. Further confirmatory testing will however be able to identify if it illicit or not.