Fake Urine for Defeating Drug Test Results

Abstract

Illicit drug abuse is a serious public health issue in the USA. According to CDC more than 70,000 people had died from drug overdose in 2017 year. The death from cocaine and powerful synthetic opioids had increased about 113 percent each year since 2013 to 2016 across the United States. Drug overdose is currently the leading cause of death in the USA among people below age 50 during last five years. Despite expanding efforts to curb the drug abused or misused, the drug overdose death rates continue to rise. We have to do more to address this substance abuse and drug addiction in the United States. Drug users want to hide the substance abuse that would be revealed by their urine testing and, therefore, they are motivated to cheat and defeat drug screen process. Usage of synthetic urine or “fake urine” recently became very popular and common method for drug abusers to escape failing urine drug test. Health and Human Services (HHS) -certified laboratories lately observed significantly increased total numbers of invalid urine drug test results due to manipulations with synthetic (fake) urine by donors. Sale of synthetic urine is currently legal in most US states and appears to be on the rise now. Artificial urine is sophisticated fluid which is designed to cheat all aspects of drug testing process including validity. Banning synthetic urine to use and sale is very important step for reducing manipulations on drug testing system and preventing illicit drug abuse. But most important, it will help drug abusers to receive medical attention, treatment and crucial support. Artificial urine needs to be eliminated from the market. It is beneficial to diversify drug testing program and perform not only urine drug testing but oral fluid or hair analysis for some pre-employment drug testing plan.