Testing positive for drug because of second hand smoke?

[Gardening Grandma]

My 18 year old grandson is applying for a job at a Navy shipyard.  If he makes the short list, he will be tested for drugs. And he knows this.  His stepfather, who has Hodgins Lymphoma, smokes medical marijuana.

What are the chances that my grandson could fail a drug test due to exposure to the second hand smoke? 

Also, if he is around friends who are smoking pot, can he test positive even if he doesn't smoke?

Any advice for him?

[justme]

Try to get away from it. Being around it once or twice, especially ventilated areas, shouldn't be a problem (I tested clean when I had been around it, but the room wasn't thick with smoke and it was only once), but I'm betting that if you're regularly breathing it in you're more likely to test positive.

[midjd]

The secondhand smoke myth has been pretty well debunked (it's probably the most popular excuse by those who fail drug tests). You'd have to be hotboxing it in an enclosed area for hours a day, days at a time in order to get enough in your system to trigger a positive.

If he doesn't smoke, he has nothing to worry about. If he is worried, it might be a sign that he is doing more than just hanging around people who smoke.

[souldoubt]

Pretty sure it's not an issue.  As far as his stepfather goes that's one thing but if he's at all concerned and really wants the job then he shouldn't be hanging around friends when they smoke. 

[Deleted]

Sept 24, 2013 10:25:27 GMT -5 Gardening Grandma said:

My 18 year old grandson is applying for a job at a Navy shipyard.  If he makes the short list, he will be tested for drugs. And he knows this.  His stepfather, who has Hodgins Lymphoma, smokes medical marijuana.

What are the chances that my grandson could fail a drug test due to exposure to the second hand smoke? 

Also, if he is around friends who are smoking pot, can he test positive even if he doesn't smoke?

Any advice for him?

My advice to him is to stop smoking pot.

[Gardening Grandma]

He has not expressed concern. When we were looking at the job posting, I said, "If they interview you, they will test you" and he looked me in the eye and said, "Not a problem"....

Of course that could be 18 year old cockiness - but he has not exhibited (so far as I'm aware) indications of pot smoking.

The job is a wonderful opportunity - entry level that can lead to a welding apprenticeship. That's why I'm so concerned.

[Deleted]

If it is a pee test he has nothing to worry about.  If it is a hair test it is possible he could test positive because of second hand smoke.   It is highly unlikely that it would be a hair test.

[Gardening Grandma]

Seriously Archie?


ETA
As near as I can find on the internet, they use a urine test.

[Deleted]

serious about what?

[midjd]

I don't think he has anything to worry about.  He might start making more of an effort to avoid being around the smoke (since different tests have different thresholds - I'd assume a drug test for the military would be pretty precise) but there is almost no chance that someone would have any measurable level of THC just from being around smoke.

I had a similar worry when I started working here - we get a hefty discount on our health insurance premiums by signing a no-smoking pledge (which subjects us to random nicotine tests). If I fail a nicotine test, I lose my job, no questions/no excuses. When DH was smoking, I was incredibly paranoid about "absorbing" his secondhand smoke, to the point that I ordered some nicotine testing kits online.

If he's concerned, he should be able to pick up a home drug test at CVS or another pharmacy, just to be safe.

[Gardening Grandma]

serious about the results difference between urine and hair samples

He's not applying for the military.  It's a civillian job, but the Navy is the employer, so it's a federal job.

ETA
Mid, just read your last response.  I think that's a good idea (getting a home test kit).  I may just do that....

And I could be getting ahead of myself.  A lot of people are applying, so who knows if he even has a shot...

[midjd]

Maybe some of the federal employees on YM (Phoenix, WVU, WWBG) could clue in on the process.

Hair tests are pretty expensive - I highly doubt the federal government is shelling out for them for entry-level employees, but I could be wrong.

[Deleted]

Sept 24, 2013 10:45:01 GMT -5 Gardening Grandma said:

serious about the results difference between urine and hair samples

He's not applying for the military.  It's a civillian job, but the Navy is the employer, so it's a federal job.

yes.   the lab should be able to test for hair so that just what entered through the body is what is present, but residue on the hair itself could present a false positive.  Not likely, but it could happen.  Could also happen with a pee test if enough was ingested through second hand smoke inhalation, but not likely, either.

he should avoid riding in a closed up car if his friends are smoking, though.

[kent]

Found this FWIW.  I'd just go ahead and get a test on my own if I thought there "might" be a problem with the second hand smoke situation.

Having been involved with a drug testing program in the past, you can pretty well bet there won't be a "hair" test due to the cost. 

Why use Hair Testing?

When compared to other forms of testing (urine, blood, oral fluids), hair samples can detect a longer period of drug use. For example, urinalysis can only detect most drugs within 2-3 days of use with the exception of marijuana, which may be detected for a longer period of time. After this period, a donor will be free of the drug, test negative and slip through the screening process. This is important in pre-employment testing where most candidates are aware that a drug test might be required and can abstain accordingly. With hair samples, the only time limitation for detecting drug usage is imposed by the length of the donor’s hair. The industry standard is to test 1.5 inches of head hair for a 90 day history.

Why is hair testing the best method of detecting substance abusers?
•
Hair testing offers the longest window of detection (90 days standard test).

•
Hair specimens cannot be adulterated or substituted.

•
Collection is safe and simple – without the hazards associated with the handling of body fluids.

•
Pricing is competitive with other methods even before the potential costs of employing a drug user are considered.

marijuanahairtest.com/

[alabamagal]

I had a friend who worked in transportation and was subject to random drug tests.  He was super careful about not being around anyone who smoked pot, because he said he could lose his job.  Don't know if he is being extra careful though.

When I went to work as government contractor 5 years ago, just a pee test.  And it was actually pretty lax.  Went to this office building and the lady gave me a cup and told me to go down the hall.  Could have easily altered the test if I was so inclined.  I was a little worried about pain killers since I had some minor surgery a month or so before.  Didn't ask, and I didn't show up positive.

I'm just wondering about those who are shaved (maybe in all areas) showing up for a hair test.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Interesting thing.....apparently those who smoke try to drink massive amounts of water to try to dilute the THC to below the detectable limits of the test.  Only problem is that tests can determine if urine is dilute and flag the subject as 'not negative'.

From what I understand, for pot it can be detected up to six weeks, more for heavy users as THC is absorbed into fat tissue and is not easily excreted.

I have a prescription for narcotics that I use very occasionally.  I'm somewhat concerned as most employers are drug testing new employees.  I'm not even going to chance it.

[973beachbum]

Sept 24, 2013 10:25:27 GMT -5 Gardening Grandma said:

My 18 year old grandson is applying for a job at a Navy shipyard.  If he makes the short list, he will be tested for drugs. And he knows this.  His stepfather, who has Hodgins Lymphoma, smokes medical marijuana.

What are the chances that my grandson could fail a drug test due to exposure to the second hand smoke? 

Also, if he is around friends who are smoking pot, can he test positive even if he doesn't smoke?

Any advice for him?

For regular ciggerattes the easy answer is to just get away from the person or place where the smoke is for two weeks.  Almost lways after two weeks all the nicotine "residue" will be out of the system.  There are a few instances where I had insurance customers who worked at the casinos.  For them they would always test positive regardless of what they did or didn't do just because of their jobs. The entire casino floor probably qualifies as a locked hot box for non smokers.

For pot it is probably a much longer time frame if they inhaled enough to show up.  the pot tests from, what I have heard, are much more accurate today than even ten years ago, and pot stays a LONG time in the body.  Everything I have seen and heard says it is about a year before someone who smoked pot will test clean.

the short answer is to invite your grandson over for a couple of weeks.

[formerroomate99]

If it were my relative, I'd invite the kid to stay in my place for a while just to be sure. 

[Deleted]

Or tell dad to stop smoking it.  There are better ways of ingesting marijuana for treatment.   And stop hanging out with potheads.

[Peace Of Mind]

Sept 24, 2013 10:25:27 GMT -5 Gardening Grandma said:

My 18 year old grandson is applying for a job at a Navy shipyard.  If he makes the short list, he will be tested for drugs. And he knows this.  His stepfather, who has Hodgins Lymphoma, smokes medical marijuana.

What are the chances that my grandson could fail a drug test due to exposure to the second hand smoke? 

Also, if he is around friends who are smoking pot, can he test positive even if he doesn't smoke?

Any advice for him?

Unless things have changed in the past 10 or so years the answer is yes - he may show marijuana in his urine test.  But the MRO would contact him to ask any questions before he determines the results.  The MRO will also know the amount shown in his system would be low and could be from 2nd hand smoke.  Have a copy of the Rx to show him and there is also a place on the form that will ask for any meds he is currently taking.  Even poppy seeds can give a false positive for cocaine.

He can also drink tons of water (and there are teas you can buy for this specifically) to clean out his system first.  But if his urine is too pure that may also set off a red flag. 

I'm multi tasking and did this quickly but here is a site to give you more info. below.  It's long, boring reading but should answer some of your questions about their procedures. I used to be the office manager at a company that did this kind of work (along with medical exams for life ins. policies, etc.) and I was a certified drug and alcohol tech for Federal Dept. of Transportation guidelines as well and we did testings for government agencies, etc. I was also a certified tech for hair and nail drug testing and they rarely, if ever, test that way unless things have changed.  Blood testing is done when a traffic accident takes place.

www.dot.gov/sites/dot.dev/files/docs/PART40.pdf

[Gardening Grandma]

Thanks POM!

[Deleted]

Sept 24, 2013 11:47:59 GMT -5 ArchietheDragon said:

Or tell dad to stop smoking it.  There are better ways of ingesting marijuana for treatment.  

Baking brownies

[Deleted]

Sept 24, 2013 19:30:14 GMT -5 TheHaitian said:

Sept 24, 2013 11:47:59 GMT -5 ArchietheDragon said:

Or tell dad to stop smoking it.  There are better ways of ingesting marijuana for treatment.  

Baking brownies

Yep.  This is why when the kids suggest bringing brownies to class parties, I tell them no.  Lol.  By the way, I teach high school seniors.

[TheOtherMe]

I failed a pee test and had not smoked pot for probably 30 years.  To this day I have no idea of why.  They did a second one with a nurse watching and I still failed.  I had given them a list of prescription drugs.  

They didn't do the drug test until the offer and I ended up not getting the job.

[Deleted]

Second hand smoke is bad for him regardless of the drug screen.  He should ask step-dad to not smoke inside the house, or to switch to other products (brownies/lollipops etc).

When my team got a surprise drug screen (3 days notice) no one got flagged & there were 2 with medical MJ users in the house, so they were worried about 2nd hand exposure.  Did not seem to be a problem.

[HoneyBBQ]

I agree it should be fine - but as a general rule of thumb I'd think he wants to avoid the second hand smoke, just like any other smoke.

[Gardening Grandma]

Thanks all, for your responses.

I have found out that it is a urine test. We spend last evening finishing his application (they closed the listing at midnight). I'm taking him to dinner tonight, so will hopefully be able to discuss this aspect with him.

[Cookies Galore]

Sept 24, 2013 21:23:09 GMT -5 @southernsusana said:

Sept 24, 2013 19:30:14 GMT -5 TheHaitian said:

Baking brownies

Yep.  This is why when the kids suggest bringing brownies to class parties, I tell them no.  Lol.  By the way, I teach high school seniors.

We used to make pot cookies. No baked good is safe!