Drugs test

[Unregistered]

Is it possible to cheat the drugs test? Ive heard a few people saying they plan to freeze urine in order to pass the college tests when they come.

[EH75]

I'm sure anything is possible, but if people are considering doing that then they probably want to re think their career choice. There have been a lot of threads on here on this subject in the past and they always go the same way.

FYI freezing it probably won't work as you don't get enough advance notice to stick your frozen piss on the side for a couple of hours to defrost. I can't remember but I think some of the tests may also show up if the urine is not at the right temperature to combat this sort of thing, so you'd have to heat it up to human body temperature. Probably less hassle to just lay off the weed like.

These people usually get caught out sooner or later regardless.

[agibbs98]

All of my drugs test involved trained nurses who had been doing drugs tests for many years. You weren't allowed blazers or jackets, and had to provide the sample in a pre-prepared toilet with dye in the water and the cistern taped shut. The nurse would be standing just behind the cubicle door while you provide it.

The sample was split into two and a thermometer placed inside whilst I witnessed it, then two tablets were placed in the sample; she explained one is an initial test (what for I don't know? Maybe a test for tap water chemicals or bacteria tests from aged urine) and the second a preservative to elongate the samples freshness.

The day of the test was totally random and you got 10 minutes notice, occasionally an hours notice if it was lots of people being done.

I'd say to cheat that you'd be very lucky, this was Clyde Marine's approach using their own Clyde medical company. Other companies use more stringent methods.

[Unregistered]

I wondered if they had a way of telling the sample was old which would make freezing it pointless. But not sure if they would go that far in this test.

[bahco]

It's been tried in the past and people have been caught out and booted out. Like agibbs said, it's carried out by trained medical/ health personnel. You give them the sample straight afterwards and it should be warm. Carrying about your own or someone else's cold piss before hand will be a bit of a giveaway. Maybe best to quit the habit instead of throwing away a half decent career

[Matt247]

Have been involved in drug testing as a supervisor of sample takers..there are lots of checks and balances....including temperature of sample..dilution of sample.. very hard to cheat.....refusal treated as guilty sample etc

[Polaris]

Tell them to give it a go, let us know how they get on.

[Hatchorder]

*sigh*

Well it is not as if this old chestnut does not rear its head once in a while...................

My personal advice to you - funny how it is always "people I know" or "A mate of mine" or "My sister's boyfriend" - is that if you do not have the constraint to stop doing whatever drugs you want to take, and you can even say "I will only do it on leave and for recreational use" - sorry - "my mate says" - then as far as I am concerned you need to go find another career because you are obviously not ready for the responsibility and attitude needed in an officer in the Merchant Navy.

I don't care which states and country make it legal, I care not a jot on which research you base your arguments that weed - speed or any other chemical you choose is less addictive than fags or booze. I care not a jot that people on prescription medication can be more "off their face" than smoking 15 spliffs. What I do know is that it is illegal to partake in illegal drugs and work on ships.

But if you choose to fly in the face of wisdom and regulation then feel free to go piss in a pot and freeze it - why not? All you have to lose is your career or even your life. The only thing I worry about is if anyone innocent gets caught up in it and loses their life as well...............

For that I will never forgive anyone........... and I speak from experience here. Last year my wife lost her cousin and her husband who were going to Tesco's at 10 o'clock in the morning and were shunted out of a junction by some junkie off his face on drink and drugs - straight into the path of a car doing 70 on the dual carriageway who T-boned them, killing them both and leaving behind 2 teenage sons............

Yeah - go fill your boots son! Or better still stop hiding behind "anonymous", post with your real name and let's see what the recruiters think............ perhaps they will support you..... or maybe not!

Thought not!

Ian.

[Sarah]

For anyone not taking d&a policy seriously, we got urine tested on ship on christmas day by a doctor in port. Its best to just behave, is a few beers or an occasional joint worth costing you your career?...I doubt it.

[YoungMariner]

Drug and Alcohol tests are part and parcel of the job now, the testing is big business and is pretty stringent, so cheating is incredibly difficult. The tests are random and can be frequent, depending on your employer. I've probably averaged 1 every 6 months in my career, have had tests late at night, early in the morning, on joining, on disembarking and even at the airport. I have also been choppered out to a ship to replace someone who failed a drug test several weeks into their trip (they had taken the drugs whilst on leave an thought it would be fine).
I saw quite a few crew who took drugs whilst on the super yachts, probably the easiest sector to get away with it, but if you screw up its game over and nobody else will employ you.

[Lewis]

There is one way to cheat it. I use it all the time. Don't do any illegal drugs. I've been doing this for years and it always works

[Hatchorder]

I am very sorry for your loss and I agree if you are going to continue to do drugs then maybe this isn't the career for you due to the random drug tests.

But it does seem slightly ridiculous to then have a go at him for something that has absolutely nothing to do with him. Alcohol is a legal drug and is far more deadly than marijuana. And you've just jumped to the assumption that he will be driving, going to work under the influence.

Nice that you hide behind anonymous as well!

If he speculates that he can freeze urine samples at college in order to cheat a drugs test then it is a fair assumption that he will be going to work under the influence of drugs at some point........

Whether it is drugs or alcohol - they are both a no-no, so I cannot see any logic in your argument. I did not accuse him of being in any way responsible for anyone's death, what I said was stop hiding behind anonymous, same as you did, and stop hiding behind "Ive heard a few people saying they plan to freeze urine". Drugs and alcohol tests exist for a reason and because they are random, they are there to catch out those people who are stupid enough to do either....... Full Stop!

It was not an assumption - it was a statement by him that said someone was going to go to work under the influence - there is no denying that - and then try to cheat a drugs test....... I never made any assumption!

Or are we just talking about "A friend I know" or "My mates girlfriend" or "I heard it on the grapevine"................

Nobody else needs to apologise for the loss my wife's family. The driver got a total sentence of 6 years and 7 months for killing 2 people!

Ian

[Kyuky]

My Advice.....Don't risk it.

Give up whatever drugs you take until after you qualify. There is too much risk involved in trying to cheat a drugs test. If you are found out, it is nearly worse than failing because you have actively tried to conceal whatever you have been taking. By this I mean that at you can at least appeal a positive drugs test. You don't have that option if you have been caught trying to cheat.

When you qualify, my advice is to take any drugs you want at the start of your leave so that at least they have the possibility of being out of your system by the time you do go back to Sea. It's always worked for me.