By doing a casual search on the internet, you will find a plethora of websites that claim they can help you beat a drug test. Whether through machines that allegedly "clean" your urine, bringing someone else's urine to a test, or trying to bring an old urine sample to a drug test collection site, people have been trying to cheat drug tests for years. One of the latest ways that people have been trying to beat drug tests is through synthetic urine.
What is synthetic urine, exactly, and what are drug screening companies and labs doing to stop the use of it?
What is Synthetic Urine?
Synthetic urine is artificial urine that is made to pass as the real human specimen. It's manufactured with the same components of real urine — like creatine, uric acid, and nitrates — and even carries the unique odor of urine. Manufacturers take great care to ensure their synthetic urine can pass for the real deal, undetectable even to drug testing specialists. (More on that later.)
Synthetic urine is usually sold in head shops and retails for anywhere from $17 to $40. You can also purchase synthetic urine at truck stops, which is concerning because truck drivers who aren't sober can cause serious accidents and death on the road.
There are several brands of synthetic urine on the market, like UPass, Quick Fix, and Xtream, and the list is growing. State lawmakers have been paying attention to this developing issue. In fact, some lawmakers are so concerned about this phenomenon that there was even a government hearing about it. At this hearing, Willie Bailey, a representative from Mississippi, held up a bottle of synthetic urine to show the House what should be outlawed.
Bailey wants to face this issue head-on, and he is currently trying to get an anti-synthetic urine bill passed called the Urine Trouble Act. Bailey isn't alone, and the issue is one that other states are concerned about, as well. Currently, there is pending legislation against synthetic urine in Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Michigan, and Utah, among others. It's already illegal to sell synthetic urine in Indiana and New Hampshire.
The Challenge of Spotting Synthetic Urine
One of the significant challenges that drug and alcohol screening facilities face is the issue of validity testing. This refers to the ability to ensure that the urine samples are truly valid, pass the ultimate test, and actually reflect whether someone is sober or not.
Can Drug Testing Detect Synthetic Urine?
Drug and alcohol testing sites have validity tests they use to detect synthetic urine. One of them is checking the temperature. If the specimen is too hot or cold, you're busted. Another way is by checking creatinine levels. The urine has to meet the right levels to pass the test.
In addition, urine has to have the right pH levels and density range compared to water.
Similar tests are used to determine whether or not a specimen is a dilute sample — where the individual has consumed too much water for the test to accurately determine if there are any substances in their system. There are specific markers for dilute urine. For instance, the pH level will be off.
All of this means one thing: while it might be a challenge to spot a fake, drug and alcohol testing specialists know what to look for.
Furthermore, as technology and substance screening improve, urine drug tests become more sophisticated and sensitive. Over the years, it's gotten harder to cheat drug tests via any method.
One way to make sure you're always a step ahead of the game is to work with a reliable third-party drug and alcohol screening company to make sure your workplace remains substance-free. US Drug Test Centers provides access to state-of-the-art drug and alcohol testing with a nationwide chain of more than 20,000 collection sites. Our labs have the highest level of SAMHSA certification and meet the requirements for DOT drug and alcohol testing. Furthermore, we always work with a medical review officer (MRO) to review and verify all test results for accuracy. We'll even train your staff and designated employer representative (DER) to help keep your business drug-free.
Working with a third-party company is more important today than ever before considering the widespread legalization of medicinal and recreational marijuana use, along with our country's opioid epidemic. Drugs could very well be present in your workplace, and you might not even know about it. Substance abuse at work can have devastating consequences, and it costs businesses tens of billions of dollars every single year. Don't be one of the victims.
US Drug Test Centers makes managing a drug-free work environment easier and more convenient than ever.
To find out more, you can contact us online or call (866) 566-0261 for more information.
Ashlee Arnold is one of the founders of US Drug Test Centers and is currently the Vice President. 
