Last updated : November 18, 2024
The term “diluted urine” is pretty self-explanatory.
The body excretes waste through urination, however, if someone increases their liquid intake too much prior to providing a urine sample, it throws things off-kilter. It can cause the urine pH level to measure close to neutral.
When this happens, it throws up an immediate red flag because drug users may attempt to falsify a drug test result by diluting their urine specimen. Most likely, in hopes of either cleansing the body at a quicker rate—which isn’t happening, oh, by the way—or masking their drug use with a diluted urine sample.
Despite what they might have been told or read online, that doesn’t work either.
The level of deception
Drug testing has come a long way since the 1980s. Drug users determined to get around the test may have successfully tampered with results by consuming large quantities of water back then, but that’s no longer the case.
Today, drug testing has become much more efficient. The testing process, now, includes measuring the creatinine levels in the urine. If the creatinine level falls below normal, the urine is diluted. A diluted urine sample indicates someone may have been trying to tamper with the test.
Diluted drug tests receive an incomplete result. Most company policies indicate these results will be treated as a positive drug test.
Negative dilute
Having the word negative attached to a drug test result sounds good, right? Not when it pertains to a diluted drug sample.
Even though the test shows no evidence of drug use, the low concentration of creatinine contained in the sample caused by excessive fluid intake made it impossible to establish a negative result with certainty. That means if there were drug metabolites in the body, they may have not been detected.
A negative dilute result doesn’t always mean that a drug user was trying to slip by undetected. It could have been purely accidental. Someone suffering from shy bladder syndrome, for instance, may have drunk a large quantity of water before the test for fear of not being able to “go” when they got there.
People who suffer from this syndrome have trouble urinating in public restrooms. The added stress of providing a urine specimen for a company drug test makes it impossible for some to do so. It’s a good idea to make the employer aware of the situation—and perhaps provide a doctor’s statement to back it up—before reporting for the test.
Unfortunately, the DOT requires all test subjects that receive a negative dilute drug test result to retest—and it’s got to be observed. If the second directly observed test result is negative dilute, disciplinary action is taken. The driver is no longer eligible for hire until completing the return-to-duty process.
Employers of the general workforce likely enforce a drug policy that resembles the DOT’s concerning a negative dilute drug test. However, retesting may or may not be included in the policy and the employee may be terminated immediately.
Positive dilute
We mentioned above that drug abusers often try to flush drugs from their system by drinking excessive amounts of water before a drug test.
A positive dilute indicates two things to an employer.
- There were drugs in the employee’s system at the time of the test.
- They more than likely attempted to falsify the test result.
There will be no retest. Company policy regarding a positive drug test result is immediately enforced.
A measure of kindness
Do your company’s drug testing policies include sharing a list of available treatment options in your area to employees who test positive for drugs?
If not, it might be worth considering.
Pointing someone in the direction of help while sharing a few kind words expressing your hope for and belief in them on what is sure to be a very dark day in their life may inspire rehabilitation. Drug addicts often deny they have a problem to everyone—family, friends, and themselves.
A positive drug test result has a way of making the realization hit home. Knowing someone truly cares about their well-being in that moment can be a game-changer.
No.
Let’s make that a lifesaver.
Throw them a line.
