Busted: Don’t Believe the 2 Most Common Myths About Urine Drug Tests

When it comes to the big, wide world of drug use, there is a lot of information out there. Unfortunately, there’s just as much misinformation floating around. Even worse, there are sketchy companies trying desperately to capitalize off of drug users that are searching for professional jobs (and clean urine). You can buy hundreds, possibly even thousands, of products that claim to purge your body of any evidence of drug use. Some of these products claim they can do this the day before or the day of your interview and urine drug test.


While the best decision is, of course, to avoid using illegal drugs, if you’re trying to land a job, a lot of people choose to take the easy way out. As a result, the following myths have become commonplace among those facing urine drug tests. We’ve set out to make sure you have all the facts so your inevitable drug test results don’t destroy your chance at a career.


MYTH: Drinking a large amount of water, sports drink, apple juice, or any other type of liquid can help you pass a urine test.


BUSTED: Your kidneys filter toxins from your blood through the urinary system. While drinking more fluids will dilute your urine, making drugs that may be present harder to detect, other considerations arise that may give up the ghost. For example, many urine drug tests also measure the level of creatinine present. When you consume large amounts of liquids, your creatinine levels become distorted and set off a red flag to those reading and interpreting them. In fact, watered down urine can also alert the technician that something is amiss.

MYTH: Urine tests can be passed through the use of synthetic urine or store-bought products.


BUSTED: The reason urine tests are so popular among employers is due to their ability to detect several different types of abnormalities. As the previous myth showed, they do more than just look at the presence of illicit drugs; if any of your natural levels are “off” or look unnatural, they’re going to examine the matter further and undoubtedly expose your use. Additionally, many urine tests now expressly check for the presence of these store-bought products. Simply put, drug tests have become more advanced in recent years, and they are virtually impossible to cheat. Whether you like it or not, the results of your rapid drug screen will likely be very accurate.

Don’t contribute to the 9.5 million urine drug tests that are revealed to be positive every year; be smart about your health. If you want negative drug test results, sobriety from illegal drugs is the only solution.