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Health

Urine drug screen: preparation, whether you can cheat

, medical expert
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
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One of the most accessible and effective ways to check for the presence of drugs in the body is a urine drug test. This study will help to determine in the shortest possible time whether a person has taken illegal drugs in the next few days (from 3 to 7).

The effectiveness of the study is that narcotic substances initially enter the blood and are excreted through the kidneys or liver. Since narcotic drugs have a low molecular weight, their metabolic products enter the urine. They are completely excreted from the body only after 2-3 weeks.

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Indications for the procedure urine drug tests

Indications for the study:

  • routine examination upon admission to a university;
  • employment;
  • sports competitions;
  • travel abroad;
  • the need to prove the fact of drug use.

The test is conducted in a laboratory. To do this, it is necessary to provide a urine sample from the subject.

Who takes a urine drug test?

There are many situations that require taking a test. Often this happens when it is necessary to prove that there is no fact of using prohibited drugs, and present the results to a certain authority. For example, during the consideration of a case on an administrative violation.

There are also a number of professions that involve close contact with a large number of people and require concentration from the specialist. This applies to police officers, drivers, pilots, and military personnel.

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Preparation

Preparation for drug testing is identical to the rules for collecting urine for clinical analysis. First of all, do not take drugs the day before.

Before collecting the material, you need to wash yourself thoroughly and wipe your genitals dry. You need to collect the first morning urine, 2 seconds after the start of urination. In no case should you dilute the material with water or other liquids, this may negatively affect the test result.

You should also prepare the dishes. You should take a dry and clean container that can be tightly closed with a lid. It is better to buy a special jar at the pharmacy, designed for collecting samples. In order for the results to be reliable, the urine should be delivered to the laboratory within a day.

The question of where to take a urine drug test requires special attention. There are many private clinics that will conduct the test in the shortest possible time. They have special devices for conducting the analysis. The choice should be approached carefully. To avoid unpleasant situations, you need to familiarize yourself with the specifics of the study and look at the reviews.

You can also take tests to determine the presence of drugs in your body in state laboratories.

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Technique urine drug tests

The technique of carrying out depends primarily on the goals. To check a close person or relative, it is enough to purchase an express test. If there is a need for a medical analysis, there are two main ways to examine urine:

  1. Chemical-toxicological analysis. It is considered the most accurate. It helps to identify the presence of all narcotic drugs, as well as psychotropic drugs. The duration of the study is 1-7 days. It depends on the type of examination. If necessary, you can challenge the chemical-toxicological analysis of urine for drugs. If a person does not agree with the results obtained, he can re-submit the urine;
  2. Immunochromatographic (rapid test). This is the most accessible method. The result will be ready in 10-15 minutes. The study is conducted immediately after collecting the material. For this, strips with a special impregnation are used. They can be purchased at any pharmacy. The essence of the test is as follows: if narcotic substances have entered the body, the color of the strips changes. This method allows you to detect about 14 of the most common prohibited substances in urine. Express urine analysis for drugs does not show the severity of drug intoxication.

Since some medications are also narcotic, the laboratory technician must be warned about the use of medications before conducting the study. It is better to make a list of medications.

What can a laboratory test show?

Many people are interested in what a urine drug test shows. First of all, it helps to determine the presence of toxic compounds in the body. The time period is affected by a person's body weight, the type of drugs and their chemical properties.

It is worth noting that drugs are eliminated from the human body in different ways. Some of them can remain for 30 days. Even if a small dose of drugs has entered the body, the analysis will be able to detect it.

How long do drugs stay in the body:

  • marijuana. In inexperienced drug addicts, the substance is excreted through fatty tissue on the 3rd-4th day. With prolonged use, marijuana can be detected after 30 days;
  • Cocaine can be detected eight days after the last use;
  • ectasia. It does not matter whether the drug entered the body in tablets or capsules, three days after use it can be detected in urine;
  • heroin (7-8 days).

A laboratory analysis determines which drug a person has taken and establishes the approximate time of regular use. Only after reviewing the test results can a doctor speak of a diagnosis of "drug addiction". External signs of drug addiction are also taken into account and identified: the condition of the pupils, the absence/presence of tremors in the upper limbs, speech.

If the analysis shows normal results and confirms that there are no narcotic substances in the urine, the narcologist issues a certificate.

Before undergoing the test, you should find out how long the urine drug test is valid. A certificate from a narcologist for employment is valid for 12 months. And the test results are valid for only one month.

Is it possible to cheat a drug test?

People who periodically or systematically take illegal drugs are interested in how to bypass a urine drug test. According to the law, a person has the right not to agree to the test, but the consequences may not be the most pleasant. In some situations, it is necessary and authorities are able to carry out the procedure forcibly.

There are several ways to bypass the analysis:

  1. Long-term. If the exact date of the procedure is known, you can take care of it in advance and purify your urine. To do this, you should increase the amount of liquid you drink to 3 liters. Sports, especially jogging, have a positive effect. To get a negative result, you need to forget about drugs and alcohol;
  2. Fast. If time is short, you can try drinking a lot of water and not going to the toilet until the material is collected. Some people add citric acid to the urine.

However, no one can guarantee that these methods will help to cheat the analysis. It is difficult to say whether it is worth cheating the study when it comes to drugs. It is worth thinking about and trying to direct all your efforts to combat drug addiction. This will help to avoid disastrous consequences.

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