From: sbharris@ix.netcom.com (Steven B. Harris ) Subject: Re: Legal Cocaine Analog !!! Date: 11 Sep 1995 Newsgroups: rec.drugs.misc,rec.food.drink,misc.health.alternative In <032321Z11091995@anon.penet.fi> an333673@anon.penet.fi (Nimbus Headset) writes: >vinkers@gallium.chem.vu.nl (vinkers) proclaimed: >> AllenMW writes: >> > If someone had this drink, would a positive result for cocaine show >> > up if tested? >> >> A bit depending on how close an analog this substance is, but most >> probably not. When analyzing blood or urine for certain compounds, them >> analytic chemists look specifically for this-and-that compound and >> others will go unnoticed. > >Yes, but how do they test for this-and-that? By the >reactions/interactions of functional group(s). Only in some first-pass screening tests. Verification, however, is done by high performace liquid chromatography, if necessary backed up with mass spectroscopy. Just like at the olympics. Your urine might not make it past the first screen with a cocaine analog, but the second test would not show anything. Without both, there would not a be a legally defendable case, and thus I suspect you (as urine provider) would never even hear about it. >> Think about all the prescription medications that give false positives for illegal drugs.<< Sorry, but that's no longer a problem. Unless, of course, the medication is broken down to the genuine controlled drug itself, as codeine is metabolized to morphine, deprenyl/selegeline to amphetamine, and so on. The test measures only the drug, not your authorization to have it in you. Steve Harris, M.D. From: sbharris@ix.netcom.com(Steven B. Harris) Subject: Re: Ritalin and Drug Screening Tests -- Need Advice Date: 20 Apr 1997 Newsgroups: sci.med In <5jc344$rmm@prometheus.acsu.buffalo.edu> iem@acsu.buffalo.edu (Irma E Melzer) writes: > Note: the owner of this account is not the author of the >message that follows. I'm allowing the message author, a friend, >to use my account for the sake of the author's anonymity. > > > Soon I begin a new job, and the company requires a drug screening >test before starting. I have no problem with this, save that I wish >to keep the fact that I tried Ritalin (for ADD) private. The Ritalin >was legally prescribed, and the last time I took any was in December >of 1996. My drug test will be at the end of this month -- a total of >four months without Ritalin use. > > Would it be unwise for me not to reveal to the testers my former >use of Ritalin? That is, is there a chance that the methylphenidate >will show up on whatever test the company is likely to use after four >months without having taken any? Am I "safe" at this point? I would >prefer not to list Ritalin, but it would extremely upsetting to me if >I didn't get the job because the test revealed some unexpected drug >in my system. > > THANK YOU in advance for your feedback and advice. I would rather >keep my former Ritalin use to myself, so this is really troubling me. > > -- Private Person Extremely unlikely you'll test positive, as the only drug which hangs around longer than few days on drug tests is marihuana, and even it doesn't stay for more than a few weeks. If you want to put your mind at rest, there are commercial labs which test anybody who wants to be tested (look in the Yellow Pages). Get tested on your own, and see how you do. Finally, if you are being made uncomfortable and outraged by all of this, consider rethinking your attitude about the drug war. Unless you're politically libertarian, you probably have your nose stuck deep in your neighbors' business. So how does it feel when your neighbor returns the compliment? Learn anything here? Just to raise your ire a bit, you should know that Partnership For a Drug Free America not only gets money from your taxes, but also is heavily funded by private business (that's the "partnership.") What businesses? Mainly makers of drug testing kits. The more hysteria there is, the better these people do. They don't really care if most of the people who use their product would rather not. They only care that they make money. Sounds kind of like pushers, eh? The difference is that you can just say no to a pusher, but it's a little more difficult to do so with your employer, and harder still when it comes to cops, judges, etc, etc. That's the thing about the Drug War-- it's kind of like chemotherapy. When making society better with such laws, you have to take care that the cure is not worse than the disease. Have A Nice Drug Free Day Steve Harris, M.D. |