Drug testing has become a common practice in many organizations, workplaces, schools, and in some instances, when you’re traveling. The problem is many people don’t know the specific rules and regulations for drug testing, which have been put in place to ensure the integrity of the urine sample and prevent adulteration. One question arises during drug testing: “Why can’t you flush toilet after drug test?” The simple answer is to keep evidence and maintain the sample’s integrity.
The general rule when taking a drug test is to leave the toilet as it is. Don’t even throw any waste in the toilet, including toilet paper. People want to know how to effectively take a drug test to avoid false results and repetition.
This article will explore the potential consequences and risks of flushing the toilet after a drug test.
What Happens if I Flush the Toilet During a Drug Test?
Drug tests involve providing a urine sample collected in a specially designed container or cup. The collection process usually takes place in a controlled environment, like a restroom, where monitoring is done to prevent tampering, substituting, or contaminating the sample.
Flushing the toilet during or after a drug test typically does not affect the integrity or accuracy of the test results. But you’ll be surprised by how much people can still cheat on urine tests, which is why testing facilities or organization conducting drug test provides specific instructions on how to take the test.
People get creative when they’re afraid their sample will not yield a negative result. Some will add substances like chemicals to their urine sample to try and contaminate, dilute, or make a false negative result.
Another risk is substitution. In this situation, the person being tested will replace their urine with a clean sample they got from someone else.
In most cases, individuals are instructed not to flush the toilet after taking the urine sample. This instruction is often given as a precautionary measure to prevent sample tampering. Flushing could allow someone to dilute the urine sample, compromising the test results’ accuracy and integrity.
Another reason they don’t allow you to flush after a drug test is to avoid flushing down anything that you might have smuggled in to contaminate or substitute the urine sample.
Failure to follow specific instructions about not flushing the toilet after a drug test, the consequences might vary depending on the origin’s policies. Some might consider it a violation, thus raising suspicion about the sample’s validity.
In that case, you may be asked to provide another sample with additional measures taken to ensure the integrity of the test. Or the organization might conduct further investigations.
Point To Take Note
Note that tampering with a drug test is illegal and can have serious consequences. Sticking to the guidelines and instructions provided by the testing facility or the organization is important. And if you have any doubts or concerns about the procedures, it’s best to seek clarification before and during a drug test to avoid any potential issues.
Do They Test the Urine in the Toilet?
Some drug tests require you not to flush afterward because they take a sample from the toilet after you’ve left. But this is not so they can test the toilet water for drugs; rather, for the collector to know whether the toilet urine matches your sample. Some people will pee in the toilet to trick the supervisor but, in reality, offer a different urine sample for testing.
Toilet water is not tested for the simple fact that it could be contaminated. The good news is testing facilities have developed better ways to confirm that the urine sample belongs to an individual.
Today’s drug screen collection cups typically have a temperature strip that the tech can read to determine if the urine is body temp. Urine that is out of a person will be warmer than urine stored in a vial. And if the temperature doesn’t add up, you’ll be made to redo the test.
Why Is Toilet Water Blue During Drug Test?
Drug testing facilities or organizations use various strategies to ensure the urine samples they receive are genuine. One way to prevent people from cheating their way through a drug test is by putting blue dye in the toilet.
Toilets contain clean water, and those being tested might use the water to dilute their urine sample to reduce the concentration of the drugs present in their urine. And if concentration falls below a certain detection level, the test may give a false negative.
Additionally, adding toilet water to the urine sample can introduce contaminants, which can alter or mask the presence of drugs.
As a result, blue dye is added to the toilet water. The blue water makes it difficult for an individual to dilute or adulterate their urine sample without giving themselves away.
Flushing the toilet will be perceived as an attempt to sabotage the sample’s integrity. And if you cause doubt about the validity of the test, the testing facility will be prompted to discard the sample and proceed with directly observing specimen collection.
FAQ
What if I Accidentally Flushed the Toilet After My Drug Test?
Any toilet flushing after a drug test, whether accidental or intentional, is considered tampering with and can impact the integrity of the sample and test result.
It’s important to immediately report any incidents or accidents during the testing process. This is to maintain the integrity of the test and avoid any potential complications or consequences.
This includes if you accidentally flushed the toilet before providing the urine sample. And depending on the protocols in place, you’ll either be allowed to retake the test or marked as failed.
What Cancels a Drug Test?
Several factors can invalidate or cancel the results of a drug test. The first one is contamination. If the urine sample gets contaminated during collection or storage with chemicals or other external sources, it could compromise the drug test results.
Lack of sample integrity is another reason to cancel a drug test. If the urine sample is compromised, mishandled, or stored incorrectly, the test could be invalid or inconclusive.
Also, if there were any mistakes during the sample collection, handling, storage, or testing, the result could be rendered invalid. This includes issues with documentation, labeling, the chain of custody, the possibility of tampering, and so on.
Last but not least, some foods, substances, and medications can trigger a false positive. On the plus side, subsequent tests using more liable test methods like gas chromatography-mass spectrometry can help clear any doubts.
Can You Poop During a Drug Test?
Pooping is a call of nature, and you can do nothing to stop it. If you must have a bowel movement, avoid including feces in the urine collection. And if feces end up in the cup, don’t try to remove it. As mentioned earlier, any incidences during urine collection should be reported immediately. Since feces can contaminate the urine sample, you may be asked to redo the test.
Final Thoughts On, Why Can’t You Flush Toilet After Drug Test?
We hope this text has given you an understanding of the relationship between flushing the toilet and drug testing. It’s crucial to follow the directions provided by the testing facility. This is how you ensure accurate and reliable results.
