Most people feel a bit nervous when being given a drug test in Florida, even if they didn’t have any drug addiction, substance abuse problems, or drug abuse previously in their life. The fear is that there would be a false positive test result after the drug testing. Drug testing and false-positive test results from bad testing methods can cause all manner of legal and employment-related problems.
This fear isn’t entirely unfounded. A false positive urine test and false-positive urine screens results do happen. If you’ve received false positives for cocaine or other illicit substances, there are a few reasons why a false positive drug test occured:
- Drug screening and drug testing labs performing urine drug testing, urine concentration, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, hair test, or urine drug screens aren’t always well run and well maintained. Some experts have noted that kitchens in restaurants have more government regulations.
- Illicit drug tests results have been carried out and some labs performed poorly with target substances, resulting in a false negative even when they knew they were being tested. In other cases, blood or saliva test samples were sent in under disguise so as not to tip the labs off, and they did even worse.
- A false positive result also could have come in contact with many things that could lead to a positive drug test reading for different drugs — not just cocaine — which include over-the-counter medications, foods, and other things that are perfectly legal.
- Prescription antibiotics have been linked to false positive drug tests when looking distinctly at cocaine. These antibiotics include both ampicillin and amoxicillin, which are widely used in the U.S.
Don’t assume that the drug test results or confirmatory tests have to stand. You have legal options and rights even when you’re accused of using cocaine, common substances, and other illegal drugs. You may be able to ask for a re-testing — though some experts warn that these don’t always change perceptions created by the first inaccurate test. Still, it’s crucial to know what you can do to set the record straight and to prove that it is a false positive test.
How to Dispute a False Positive Drug Test?
There are many ways that can help you or someone you know to dispute a false positive drug test, for example:
- Reveal the prescription medications you’ve been taking and wait up to two days before retaking the test
- Switch the testing methods. If you received the result from urine screens, ask for a blood test
- Ask for a more advanced testing method, such as high-performance liquid chromatography or HPLC testing
- Stop drinking alcohol two weeks prior to taking cocaine testing
If you test positive for cocaine again, make sure to find legal representation to help you to fight false positive results in court.
Consequences of False Positive Drug Test for Cocaine Addiction Treatment
Testing for illicit drugs, pain medicine, or cocaine can be done by hair sample, urine sample, or by a saliva test. Sometimes, medical mental health centers or courts offer addiction treatment or drug screening as part of the solution by offering addiction treatments—giving offenders the opportunity to quit the use of illegal substances as part of their federal law parole.
To someone with a history of illicit substance abuse and cocaine use who has finally begun to seek addiction treatment, a false positive can be extremely dangerous and might send them to jail or prison. In addition, a false positive drug test result may lead to loss of employment or evoke difficulties when searching for a job, exclusion from sports or other activities, and inappropriate medical treatment.
If you have never had a history of cocaine addiction and you believe that the drug test results were false, make sure to fight it in court in order to prevent yourself from being convicted of using illegal substances.
What Can Cause False Positive for Cocaines and Why Do a False Positive Occurs?
Many things can cause a false positive drug test or a positive test result. Chronic pain and the use of prescription medications that contain a cocaine metabolite or cocaine metabolites may cause false-positive test results or a positive result in urine drug tests. Make sure to share this information with your criminal defense attorney as it will help you to fight for your rights in court.
Can You Fight a False Positive Drug Test?
If you believe that you have had false positive results for or tested positive for cocaine, use or tested positive for other illicit substances, make sure to contact Mike G – your Tampa criminal defense attorney to fight for your rights in court.
Source: Independence Institute, “Drug Testing: Shaky Science May Nullify Good Intentions,” David B. Kopel, accessed June 03, 2016