Urine Drug Tests: Uses, Procedure, Detection Times, And Results

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Medical News TodaySubscribeWhat to know about urine drug tests

Medically reviewed by Avi Varma, MD, MPH, AAHIVS, FAAFP — Written by Beth Sissons — Updated on March 12, 2025

Uses
Detected drugs
Procedure
Reliability
Detection times
How to prepare
Results
Summary

A urine drug test can quickly detect both illegal and prescription drugs in a person’s system. Doctors, sports officials, and many employers require these tests.

Signs of drug use can remain in a person’s system long after the physical effects wear off. The analysis can determine whether a person used specific drugs days or weeks before testing.

In this article, we take a close look at urine drug screens. We describe what they can detect and how long these substances remain traceable in urine.

Help is available

Seeking help for addiction may feel daunting or even scary, but several organizations can provide support.

If you believe that you or someone close to you is showing signs of addiction, you can contact the following organizations for immediate help and advice:

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): 800-662-4357 (TTY: 800-487-4889)
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988

Purposes and uses of urine drug screens

Shadow of a person's hand holding a urine sample container — Aitor Diago/Getty Images

Doctors, sports officials, and employers may request these tests.

Doctors

A doctor may request a urine drug screen if they think that a person has been using illegal drugs or misusing prescription drugs.

For example, a doctor may ask for a urine screen to determine if a person is taking a prescribed opioid medication in a way other than the doctor intended.

A member of an emergency services team may request a urine drug screen if they suspect that a person is behaving strangely or dangerously due to the influence of drugs.

Rehabilitation programs

Drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs may request urine drug screens at initial assessments and follow-up appointments.

Learn more about the treatments for addiction here.

Sporting events

Many sporting officials require urine tests to check whether athletes have used performance-enhancing drugs, such as anabolic steroids.

The World Anti-Doping Agency regulates the use of performance-enhancing substances in many global sports events. Making sure that all athletes are performing without these drugs ensures fair competition.

Employers

Some employers request that new staff members take urine drug tests. Or, staff may have to do this on a regular basis.

This is more common in workplaces that require high levels of safety requirements. For example, United States federal law mandates that people working in the transportation industry take regular drug tests.

Laws about employee drug testing differ geographically. A person should check with local authorities.

Which drugs can a urine test detect?

A urine drug screen can detect a range of drugs, including:

alcohol
amphetamines
barbiturates
benzodiazepines
cocaine
cannabis
methamphetamine
opioids
phencyclidine (PCP)

Urine screens can also detect nicotine and cotinine, which the body produces when it breaks down nicotine.

Though a urine test can indicate the presence of alcohol, if a health or legal authority suspects that a person has been drinking in excess, they are more likely to request a breath or blood test.

Learn more about other types of substance tests here.

Procedure and types of urine test

A doctor or trained technician usually performs a urine drug screening.

There are several types of these tests. An immunoassay (IA) test is most common because it is the quickest and most cost-effective.

However, IA tests can give false-positive results. In this case, the results indicate the presence of a drug that the person has not used. False-negative results can also occur.

Another type can confirm the results of an IA test. This is called gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A GC-MS test is more reliable than an IA test, and it can detect more substances.

Usually, people only request GC-MS tests as follow-ups because they are more expensive, and the results take longer.

How reliable are urine drug tests?

Generic IA tests can show cocaine, amphetamines, opioids, cannabinoids, and PCP. A doctor may require a more specialized IA test to check for synthetic and semisynthetic opioids, such as methadone.

It is important to note that consuming certain legal substances can lead to false-positive IA test results. For example, consuming high enough quantities of dextromethorphan, a common ingredient in cough syrups, can cause a positive result for PCP on this type of test.

To minimize the risk of false positives, urine drug screens have cut-off levels. This means that a result is only positive when the test detects an amount of a drug that is above a certain level. Cut-offs also reduce the likelihood of testing positive due to only passive exposure to a drug. Secondhand smoke is one example of passive exposure.

Also, both IA and GC-MS tests can produce false-negative results. These fail to indicate recent drug use. A false-negative result can occur when urine is very diluted, for example.

Detection times

Many factors can affect when a test can detect a certain drug. Some factors include:

the person’s body mass
their hydration levels
the acidity of their urine
how long ago the drug use occurred

Overall, the more frequently and heavily drug use occurs, the longer the drug will be detectable. Below, for example, we show how long urine tests can detect cannabis.

Frequency of cannabis use	Detection times after use
single use	2 days
3 times a week	2 weeks
daily use	2-4 weeks
heavy daily use	up to 12 weeks

Other typical drug detection ranges include:

Drug	Detection times after use
alcohol	7–12 hours
amphetamines	2–3 days
short-acting benzodiazepines	3–5 days
long-acting benzodiazepines	up to 30 days
buprenorphine	up to 11 days
cocaine metabolites	2–4 days
codeine	1–2 days
fentanyl	2–3 days
heroin or morphine	1–3 days
methadone	3–4 days
oxycodone	1–3 days

How to prepare for a urine test

The test requires little preparation. Usually, a person must urinate into a plastic container and return the urine sample to the technician or doctor.

They then measure the temperature of the urine sample to make sure it is suitable for testing. They seal the sample in a plastic bag. If a person cannot return their sample to a medical professional within 1 hour, they should seal it in a plastic bag and store it in a refrigerator.

A technician may accompany the person to make sure that they are giving the sample correctly. The technician should explain the reason for this supervision.

It is important to note that certain medicines and supplements can cause false-positive results.

A person should tell the test provider if they are taking any:

prescription medications
over-the-counter medicines
herbal remedies
supplements

How long does it take?

Urine drug screen results usually come back within a few days or on the same day.

If a result is positive, a person may need to take a second test for confirmation. This may be a GC-MS test, which gives more accurate results.

The person who carried out the test or a medical review officer will explain the results.

Summary

A urine drug screen can quickly and effectively detect some illegal and prescription drugs. Doctors, sports officials, and employers may request this type of test for various reasons.

The screening can detect a range of substances, including cannabis, nicotine, barbiturates, and opioids such as heroin and methadone. Some remain traceable in the body longer than others.

If an initial result is positive, a person may need to take a second, more accurate test.

Alcohol / Addiction / Illegal Drugs
Medical Devices / Diagnostics
Sports Medicine / Fitness

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesMedical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Boye E, et al. (2017). Doping and drug testing.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5331245
Drug addiction: Getting help. (2023).https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/addiction-support/drug-addiction-getting-help
Kale N, et al. (2019). Urine drug tests: Ordering and interpretation.https://www.aafp.org/afp/2019/0101/p33.html
Lin S-Y, et al. (2019). Urine specimen validity test for drug abuse testing in workplace and court settings.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1021949817300194
Marchei E, et al. (2021). Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry and high-sensitivity gas chromatography-mass spectrometry screening of classic drugs and new psychoactive substances and metabolites in urine of consumers.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8069063/
Raouf M, et al. (2018). A practical guide to urine drug monitoring.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6368048

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Medically reviewed by Avi Varma, MD, MPH, AAHIVS, FAAFP — Written by Beth Sissons — Updated on March 12, 2025

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