False Positive For Cocaine

If you get a false positive

You just received word that your urine test result came back positive for cocaine. However, you do not use cocaine. What do you do?

If you do not contest a false positive drug test, the results may label you as a drug abuser and that will go into your medical history and/or on your work record.

If you believe your drug test result is a false positive then always contest it. Tell those in charge of the testing that you believe the result is a false positive and you want the results confirmed.

If you tested positive for cocaine on a urine test and didn’t use cocaine, there are alternative explanations for that test result. Here are the current possibilities:

Amoxicillin – References:
16,
18,
20,
21,
26, and
29)

Ampicillin – false positive for cocaine (Reference: 29

Antibiotics – References:
20
33, and

Buprivacaine (Marcain, Marcaine, Sensorcaine and Vivacaine) http://www.netwellness.org/question.cfm/7603.htm

Cola tea, cola leaf, cola flour, cola oil causes positive cocaine results – Reference: 42

Diabetes – References:
3,
16,
20,
21, and

Kidney disease – References:
3,
16, and
20,

Tonic water – References:
16 and
18

Testing positive on a urine drug screen is “presumptive” which means that you are considered guilty until proven innocent. Does that sound backward? It should. However a urine drug test is NOT proof of drug abuse UNTIL it is confirmed by the additional testing of a confirmation test. Typically this is done by a Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) test or the newer high-performance liquid chromatography.

If you get a false positive drug test result, legal action may be taken against you. There may be charges of drug abuse, loss of your job, or even loss of custody of your children. Seek legal advice from an attorney.

If you need to convince someone that a particular false positive is possible then you need an authoritative reference. The three best sources are:

The manufacturer of the drug
The manufacturer of the drug tests
Government agencies responsible for testing

Note about hair tests: According to Omega Laboratories, the Enzyme-immunoassay antibodies (EIA) used in screening tests for drugs of abuse in hair are similar to those used to test urine, therefore the potential for substances such as over-the-counter medications to cause a false positive screening result does exist.

There are more than 170 pages of questions and answers about false positives on this website. They start here.

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