What Drugs Could Interfere with a Morphine (Opiates) Test and Cause a Positive Result?

Ron Kilgarlin describes that drug testing is common in many fields, such as law enforcement, healthcare, and transportation. Opiates like morphine, which is a strong painkiller, are one of the things that are often checked for. But some drugs can mess up opiate drug tests and make them give false-positive results. False-positive results can lead to bad things, like losing a job, facing criminal charges, or going through medical procedures that aren't necessary. This article will discuss some drugs that can mess up morphine (opiate) tests and how they do it.

First, codeine is an opiate that the liver turns into morphine. So, taking codeine-containing drugs like Tylenol with Codeine or Robitussin AC can make morphine drug tests positive. In the same way, using heroin, which breaks down into morphine, can cause a false-positive test. It's important to remember that even a small amount of codeine can have a good effect. So, people who take medicines with codeine should tell their doctor or a drug testing lab that they are taking them.

Second, poppy seeds are known to make opiate drug tests show a false positive. The opium poppy plant makes poppy seeds, which have morphine and codeine in them. Even though poppy seeds have a much smaller amount of opiates than opiate drugs like heroin or morphine, eating many of them can still make you fail an opiate test. Studies have shown that eating a poppy-seed bagel or a slice of poppy-seed cake can have a positive effect up to three days later. So, people who will be tested for drugs shouldn't eat things like baked goods, salad dressings, and ice cream with poppy seeds in them.

Third, some prescription drugs can make it hard to test for opiates. For example, fluoroquinolone antibiotics like levofloxacin and moxifloxacin have been shown to give false-positive results for opiates. No one knows for sure what is causing this interference. But it is thought that these antibiotics might affect the immunoassay test in a way that would lead to a positive result. Antidepressants, antipsychotics, and antihistamines are other medicines that have been said to mess up opiate drug tests. So, people who take prescription drugs should tell their doctor or a drug-testing lab about them.

Last, it has been shown that illegal drugs like cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana can mess up opiate drug tests. Even though these drugs are not opiates, they can cause a false-positive result on the opiate immunoassay test. So, people who will get an opiate drug test should not use any illegal drugs.

Ultimately, drug tests are important in many fields to ensure safety and compliance. False-positive results, on the other hand, can have serious effects. So, it's important to know which drugs can mess up opiate drug tests and tell your doctor or a drug-testing lab about any medications you're taking. Also, people who need to take an opiate drug test shouldn't use illegal drugs or products with poppy seeds. By knowing these things, people can ensure their drug test results are correct and avoid unnecessary consequences.