DOT Drug Screening

[JamesD2]

Hello again,

I I have to get a DOT Drug test very soon, Already had the DOT physical a few weeks ago and wanted to wait so the Drug test would not be over 30 days old.

So what is involved in the test? How long does it take to get the test results back? Do I need to drop my pants again? What I the most common failures in this test?

Thanks again James

[yoopr]

Most common "failures" is finding DRUGS in your DRUG Test

[JamesD2]

Thanks for the quick reply,

sorry I guess I should have expanded myself on "Test Failures" I was reading a while back on poppy seeds and some other weird things that can be found in these tests.

I am NO druggie, but I'm not implying that You are thinking that I just what You to know where I am coming from. And sometimes an honest guy can go down. :sad:

[inmate1577]

You'll take the whiz quiz so get ready to drop 'em.
Dont drink alcohol for at least 24hrs prior to the test.
They test for Meth, cocaine, pot and heroin.

All that stuff on the market that is supposed to remove drugs from your system, just removes money from your wallet.

[yoopr]

Thanks for the quick reply,

sorry I guess I should have expanded myself on "Test Failures" I was reading a while back on poppy seeds and some other weird things that can be found in these tests.

I m NO druggie, but I'm not implying that You said that I just what You to know where I am coming from. And sometimes an honest guy can go down. :sad:

I know you weren't-you asked about dropping your Drawers-This isn't a Physical-all you do is take your wizz and that's it-they Seal the bottle(Make sure they do that while you're with them)you'll initial the label and then make sure they record the Temperature and put that on the Label Also)

[ncnewbie]

On that TV show "Myth Busters", two guys each ate 2 bagels with poppy seeds (I think bagels) and they tested positive for almost 48 hrs afterward! Saw the episode about 4 mos ago.

[yoopr]

and if you're Canadian don't buy any 222 aspirin-they have codeine in them.

[GMAN]

Most of the larger carrier's will have you do another drug test when you go to orientation. I always go ahead and do my drug test when I have my DOT physical. I am surprised that they didn't have you go ahead and give your sample. The physical really isn't complete until you have the urine test.

[JamesD2]

GMAN,

I did give a urine sample that was the first thing they asked Me to do. On my papers My urine tested fine I thought the Drug test and DOT physical were two separate documents You have to have?

[utvolsr1]

Spent 21 years in the military retired 2004. We would have 50 or more on the base every day pee in the bottle. You had to hold the bottle over your shoulder where your observer could see it at all time. He would go in the bathroom with you and had to see you pee in the bottle I do mean SEE you pee. The bottle could not be out of the observer’s sight until it was labeled and turned in. Both he observers and tester had to sign and initials too. Maybe they would allow trace amounts that could be do to poppy seeds being detected or doesn't test for that drug. See this site for details. I believe they don't check for it now. You more then likely do pot as well so that is a catch all.

http://www.snopes.com/medical/drugs/poppyseed.asp

By the way if your worried about a drug test maybe you don't need to be behind the wheel of truck. JMO

[GMAN]

GMAN,

I did give a urine sample that was the first thing they asked Me to do. On my papers My urine tested fine I thought the Drug test and DOT physical were two separate documents You have to have?

When I have my physical they always take a urine sample. They test for drugs and diabetes.

[GMAN]

On that TV show "Myth Busters", two guys each ate 2 bagels with poppy seeds (I think bagels) and they tested positive for almost 48 hrs afterward! Saw the episode about 4 mos ago.

I spoke with a tester a few years ago and was told that they have been able to make allowances for poppy seeds.

[JamesD2]

Thanks I guess this clears up the subject.

Looking at My paper work the is a section that says "Laboratory And Other Test Findings" looks like My urine tested negative. I guess they would have not given Me a two year DOT card without a drug test. LOL. Now this is starting to make sense


Thanks All

[Scoe]

Thanks I guess this clears up the subject.

Looking at My paper work the is a section that says "Laboratory And Other Test Findings" looks like My urine tested negative. I guess they would have not given Me a two year DOT card without a drug test. LOL. Now this is starting to make sense


Thanks All

NO!! The urine that they tested when you did the DOT physical was not a drug test. Sounds like that was the urine that they did the strip dip in. They dip a strip of test paper into the urine to test for sugar in your urine (diabetes). The DOT drug test is separate from that test and has nothing to do with getting your medical card for 2 years.

[Colts Fan]

Sounds like this guy is worried about something. When you take a piss test you should not be worried. If you are there is something to be concerned about.

If you have a false positive they do a backup test that makes sure it is not a false positive.

Stay off the sauce. :wink:

[Bonkers]

On that TV show "Myth Busters", two guys each ate 2 bagels with poppy seeds (I think bagels) and they tested positive for almost 48 hrs afterward! Saw the episode about 4 mos ago.

Quick note on that - the mythbusters test was an HR spot test, not a professional test. The spot kit is 'supposed' to be used in conjunction with behavioral or other symptoms (if they see you trying to get your trucks phone number for instance) and doesn't need any kind of MD title to work. The modern DOT test is supposed to be a two part spectral analysis - the type of test that poppy seeds aren't going to automatically false positive you on. If the first test is clean you're good, if not it gets run through another machine - if both machines come back positve you're SOL.

False positives account for something like 0.00001% of the tests and nowadays usually have a backup sample to contest. The only thing you have to worry about is what drugs you've done recently.

PS - some companies are moving onto hair analysis now. Hair doesn't let go of drugs over time like urine does.

[kc0iv]

On that TV show "Myth Busters", two guys each ate 2 bagels with poppy seeds (I think bagels) and they tested positive for almost 48 hrs afterward! Saw the episode about 4 mos ago.

Quick note on that - the mythbusters test was an HR spot test, not a professional test. The spot kit is 'supposed' to be used in conjunction with behavioral or other symptoms (if they see you trying to get your trucks phone number for instance) and doesn't need any kind of MD title to work. The modern DOT test is supposed to be a two part spectral analysis - the type of test that poppy seeds aren't going to automatically false positive you on. If the first test is clean you're good, if not it gets run through another machine - if both machines come back positve you're SOL.

False positives account for something like 0.00001% of the tests and nowadays usually have a backup sample to contest. The only thing you have to worry about is what drugs you've done recently.

PS - some companies are moving onto hair analysis now. Hair doesn't let go of drugs over time like urine does.

Here is some information on "poppy seeds" and D.O.T. testing.

Q: I have heard that consuming lots of poppy seeds can cause a positive test for heroin. Is this true? I eat a poppyseed muffin everyday for breakfast, is it true that I might test positive for opiates?

A: Poppy seeds contain sufficient amounts of morphine to produce detectable concentrations of morphine and codeine in urine. But a test may be considered a positive for heroin, both legally and scientifically only if heroin, or its metabolite momoacetylmorphine (6-mam), is identified in the urine specimen. This result cannot be caused by consuming poppy seeds. This determination can only be made by a Medical Review Officer pursuant to an analysis by gc/ms for 6-mam or heroin. All positive results reported by All American Research and Drug Testing have been reviewed and confirmed by one of our certified Medical Review Officers (MRO's).

http://www.allamericanresearch.com/faq.htm

---------------------------------------------

Testimony on Federal Workplace Drug-Testing by Joseph H. Autry III, M.D.
Acting Director
Center for Substance Abuse Prevention
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Before the House Committee on Commerce, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
July 23, 1998

"The primary purpose of the Federal workplace-based drug testing program is to deter use of illegal substance of abuse in large groups of individuals subject to testing, and detect those individuals clearly using illicit drugs. Revising the testing cutoff concentrations for opiates to 2,000 ng/mL and adding the requirement to detect 6-AM will eliminate the laboratory identification to Medical Review Officers (MROs) of most persons legitimately using opiate-containing pharmaceuticals available by medical prescription or in over-the-counter preparations, or those who have ingested poppy seeds. Effective April 1, 1994, because of similar concerns and its program experience over the previous 5 years, the Uniformed Services Drug Testing Program for the Department of Defense also adopted increases to 2,000 ng/mL in the initial assay testing cutoff concentrations for opiates, with increases in confirmation testing to 4,000 ng/mL for morphine, 2,000 ng/mL for codeine, and the addition of 10 ng/mL for 6-acetylmorphine."

http://www.hhs.gov/asl/testify/t980723f.html

The backup sample can be used if an individual has failed the drug test and has been notified by the MRO of this failure. The individual must request the "backup sample" be tested. It is not done as a routine SOP.

kc0iv

[JamesD2]

Colts Fan,

I'm not worried nor am I trying to hide something. I figured there was another part to the DOT test as Scoe stated. Glad I know now just didnt want to spend money on the same test twice