Urine Temperature is Key to a Successful Drug Test.
Urine Temperature – The Art of Drug Testing
I was reminded a few days ago about an individual who wanted a drug test for their job. They requested a 10-panel drug test, which is fairly standard.
We try to be vigilant when we test and have all the safeguards to catch the cheaters. But sometimes, a donor will try and sneak through by whatever means possible. In this case, they expressed that they urgently needed to go to the bathroom; otherwise, they would pee themselves. This is a red flag to us as it generally indicates that they are carrying a fake sample that they have heated up.
Let me explain: Sadly, it’s so easy to buy fake urine on the internet and use it to pass a drug test. There are many brands available that can mimic the real thing. The sample comes with full instructions on how to use it. It evens comes with a heater pack to bring the sample up to temperature. Brands like Ur-In-Luck promote how easy it is to pass a drug test by substituting their sample with a fake product.
So the cheater comes in and expresses that they need to go desperately. This tells us that they have set the heater to warm the fake sample up to pass the test. The industry standard permits the temperature to be in the region of 90° to 100° F. At this point, we make them wait for as long as possible. Up to 15 minutes before we take them in for testing. Why do we do this?
Take your own test before the official one to see if you are clean!
Urine Temperature – Catching the Cheaters!
The donor is asked to come into the testing area; we ask them to empty their pockets, wash their hands then go into the cubicle and provide a sample. We listen near the door for the normal signs of urination. Invariably we hear only rustling and no urination sound. The donor promptly comes out with their fake sample and presents it to the administrator for analysis.
This is how we catch them. We test the sample temp. The body temperature is 98.6° F., so allowing for a small drop in temperature drop; between 95 – 98° F. is where the temperature should be. With many years of experience, we know that the temperature should always be around 96° F. We do not accept the general rule for temperature, which is 90° to 100° F.
NRC: 10 CFR 26.111 Checking the acceptability of the urine The time from urination to temperature measurement may not exceed 4 minutes. If the temperature of a urine specimen is outside the range of 90 °F to 100 °F …
The cheaters don’t know this, well, not until they read this article. So we check the temperature, invariably it is too hot, anywhere up to 108° F. They make their excuses that they have a fever or are sick. We’ve heard it all before. It can also be too low; anything below 93° F. is not acceptable. But what if the temperature is in range and their heater got it right? The key is the smell. Fake urine has no smell. BUSTED!
At this point, we tell them the sample is not acceptable and ask them to sit in the waiting room for at least 30 minutes before they can provide a fresh sample. By this time, the heater has stopped working, and the fake sample they brought with them is insufficient for a second attempt. When we test them again as we did with this individual, we see that they are presumed positive for Cocaine. BUSTED again!
Urine temperature – Conclusion.
If you are a parent or testing at the office, you have to be cuter than them and see the warning signs. Monitor every stage of the test, look for body language, and always listen at the door for the sound of urination. It doesn’t take long to know who the cheaters are even before they are tested. Use a specimen cup with a temperature strip affixed to it, and don’t accept excuses for why it is out of range.
The next time an individual brings in a product like Ur-In-Luck or Quick Fix to cheat their test, they will be Out-of-Luck! Happy testing.