THE WAR ON DRUG TESTING

Passing A Drug Test With Dirty Urine May Be Possible

His eyes shifted from the magazine in his hands to the Paramex Screening
Services receptionist's stare. "I have to pee," he said to her. "I have to
pee right now." But the receptionist informed the college student it would
be at least 15 minutes before his urine drug test. Squirming in his seat,
he jumped up when his name was called.

But it was too late. He had already left his mark. On the seat cushion was
a puddle.

As he walked down the hall towards the bathroom, something wet seeped and
snaked down the backside of his jeans. Once inside, he didn't stay long. "I
can't go. I have to make it to class," he said rushing out the entrance door.

There was little doubt about what happened. His attempt to cheat failed.

A glance in the bathroom proved it to Paramex employees. All he had left
was a thin trail of urine leading to the trash can and a wet plastic baggy
inside.

Incidents like this one are not uncommon, as more employers require drug tests.

Chico State University students seeking end-of-the-year employment may be
destined to take a drug test. For some, it's a must to guarantee jobs. To
others, it's a cause of worry and they're willing to do or take anything to
pass. But whether those techniques actually work depends on whom one asks.

It is estimated that more than 2 million drug tests taken this year will be
reported as "positive" with one or more drugs, according to Health and
Safety Services, Inc.

This number doesn't surprise Paramex owner Tom Goodman.

"The only guaranteed 100 percent way to pass a drug test is to not do
drugs," he said. "It's really that simple. Everything else is a desperate
act to attempt to get what you want. Masking agents, bleach, cranberry
juice -- none of it is foolproof."

When people do drugs, it shows up in their hair and body fluids. This is
why they're required to donate a sample of either to undergo a chemical
analysis. That analysis takes two days and can uncover drugs from days to
weeks, depending on the specimen, drug and frequency of use. Oftentimes,
employers ask for a five-panel drug test, which checks for cocaine,
marijuana, amphetamines, opioids and phencyclidine. However, employers can
also expand tests by including more drugs, Goodman said.

Nowadays, the most common form of drug testing is urine because it's the
least expensive ($40) and reveals the most recent use of drugs. But lately,
Goodman said some employers are inquiring about addictions. If they are
willing to pay the price of $80 to $100, employers can find out if someone
is abusing drugs through a hair test.

"These tests seem scarier because they encompass more time," Goodman said.
"By taking a hair sample from the root of somebody's head, you have the
ability to see what he or she did 90 days ago. This window of time is
something most people have a hard time remembering and can't go back on."

The uncertainty of the test and its ability is what is making biology major
Amy Perez nervous.

On her first day of her summer internship with Los Angeles County Sheriff's
Department, Perez must take a hair drug test at the department's forensics lab.

Although Perez says she isn't a drug user, the 25-year-old admits to being
anxious about her first ever drug test. Each time she tries to picture what
the process will be like, it turns nightmarish. She imagines herself
sitting in a white room facing a big double-sided mirror.

But as the school year finishes and she starts to get to know her
department, her mental preparation for the test is becoming easier. Lately,
she said everyone has been nice enough to explain the reasoning behind the
high screening.

"This test is completely justifiable because of the field they're in,"
Perez said. "They're already dealing with criminals and they do not need to
add some onto their payroll. It's not anything against my character or me.
It's about reliability."

Confident she'll pass, Perez can't help but wonder what her results will
expose.

"I just hope L'Oreal hair dye is all they find," she said.

Over the years, screening sites and laboratories like Paramex have advanced
their procedures to ensure drug users don't pass. Goodman said the methods
of detecting tampered samples have improved greatly. Screeners can detect
drugs in diluted specimens once considered non-testable. Samples are
checked for appearance, smell, pH, temperature and creatine levels. Labs
take extra precautions like: tinting the toilet water a different color;
adding a temperature strip on the shot glass sized urine cup; and
prohibiting donors from running sudden errands before giving a sample.
Current test results are more accurate and harder to alter.

"Are test results accurate?" Goodman said. "Well, they're accurate enough
for courts to use them as a valid test."

Still, attempts to cheat do happen.

In the eight years since Paramex opened, Goodman has seen everything.

There have been people that have shaved their entire bodies just to avoid
hair tests, submitted microwaved urine samples of 100 degrees Fahrenheit,
and blamed test results on a single poppy seed muffin.

Nevertheless, the most popular cheating attempt is to change a sample's
concentration by contaminating it. This usually happens with urine drug
tests. People buy a masking agent in drink or pill form, take it and chug
large amounts of water. But drinking lots of water dilutes urine, making it
appear pale. Although it means they're well hydrated, it also suggests
people tried to flush their system. Depending on the level of dilution,
people may fail their test or be required to donate another sample in front
of a same-sex collector, Goodman said.

"Commercial masking agents don't work and don't pass checks," Goodman said.
"So don't do them. Why jeopardize a great paying job and end up living in
the cold with no income, smoking marijuana?"

Fear.

The Underground employee Jeff Hicks has seen it in the eyes of "hill
junkies," pregnant women, construction workers, probation violators and
students.

"They come in here because they need to pass," he said. "These people want
an option. They need something to tell themselves they'll be OK."

The regulars come back monthly on the first of the month and within a week,
the three-layer shelf holding 10 different products is empty. Although he
doesn't mind selling masking agents, he's worried about the latest trend of
pregnant women using them.

Within the last week, three pregnant women tried to purchase XXTRA CLEAN,
which advises them to consult their physician before taking. Tired of
hearing the excuse of "Oh, they just say that," Hicks now refuses products
to these customers.

"This product is not for pregnant women," he said. "They're dirty because
they get all worried and try to convince us that it's important for them to
pass their test. Well, if it's that important to you, stop doing drugs.
Take some responsibility."

An Illinois company called Detoxify makes most of these so called
"cleansing formulas" sold at The Underground. The prices depend on the
formula's strength and can range from $34.99 to $50. But Hicks says the
strength doesn't matter because it all works the same. On the other hand,
he does recommend the chemical products since they shock the body more by
erasing nutrients. When it comes to taste, Hicks says, "good luck."

"They all taste bad," he said. "It's kind of like unsweetened Kool-Aid with
a hint of cardboard. It's not your typical tasty, refreshing beverage."

Some of the products featured include AQUA CLEAN citrus flavor dietary
supplements, FAST FLUSH herbal pills, ROOT CLEAN Shampoo and READY CLEAN
for women, which claims an extra dose of cranberry helps meet a "woman's
unique cleansing needs." The eight-page pamphlet available at the store's
counter promises "research you can count on," "products you can trust" and
a double money-back guarantee if the product doesn't work.

"A lot of the times, people who use this product smoke pot and are trying
to get a job, which is fine," Hick said. "The products work for them, they
pass and go on living a happy life. Then, there are the hardcore junkies
from the hills who come back repeatedly because they can't read."

The labels on the back of each product explain how many days to stop doing
drugs, what types of food to avoid and how much water one should drink per day.

"The stuff may or may not work," Hicks said. "It depends on the person. If
you're tweaked out of your mind and don't follow the directions, you're
going to fail."

Jason DeFoy, Blaze N J's manager, thinks these products must work or else
they wouldn't be so popular. He estimates Blaze N J's sells about six
products, priced at $22, to college-aged people a week.

"Now if people who smoke pot want a job, they can get one for 22 bucks
along with a little suffering," he said. "People know about these drinks
and pills through word of mouth. We don't advertise. People just seem to
know they're a pretty common thing to find at a head shop."

The reputation of these products has grown. Type "cheat on drug test" on
Google, an Internet search engine, and within .61 seconds, one gets 13,2000
results. Out of those results, more than 100 will be for foiling formulas.

In eight weeks, Brian, a graduating senior who asked his last name be
withheld, plans to cheat on his drug test by drinking a masking solution
called CLEAN P.

"I'm not losing any sleep over it," he said. "This is just strictly a
precaution because I know I can't change what I already did. But I am 100
percent confident I'll pass."

Twelve days ago, he stopped smoking marijuana after receiving his first and
only job offer.

"It's not worth it anymore," he said. "I'm obviously not stupid because I
know this is going to be my career. Getting this job means a lot to me. I'm
not trying to just fly by."

Knowing that marijuana stays in his fat cells for 30 days, Brian will be
drinking lots of water, working out and flushing out his system with CLEAN
P before his test.

"When you're doing drugs, you don't usually stop and think about your
career," he said. "You think about hitting that pipe. But when you're
offered a chance to do what you always wanted, you need something to give
you peace of mind. For me, it's this drink. So be it if you call it
cheating -- as long as it's cold, I'm drinking it."