Does Smoking Cigarettes Interfere with Saliva Drug Testing?
Smoking menthol cigarettes might stay in your system as cotinine and nicotine for a longer period, say 4 to 7 days. This might show up in your saliva drug test. The drug traces can stay in your hair for further longer, say 30 to 90 days, making your drug testing complex. Secondhand smoke may also cause you to fail your saliva drug test if you are exposed to it in an enclosed space.
How long can saliva drug test detect nicotine and cotinine?
Oral saliva drug test is an instant drug test that can provide accurate results within minutes. It has been widely used by organizations to track drug usage in recent times. Saliva drug tests can detect the drug traces consumed 4 to 7 days back. But it may vary based on various factors like age, metabolism, amount, and the number of time-consuming.
If you are a heavy smoker, there are chances that the nicotine substances can stay in your saliva for about 14 days.
Can secondhand smoke lead to positive results in your saliva drug test?
Secondhand smoking is the inhalation of cannabis smoke indirectly by a non-smoker. The cannabis smoke does not contain nicotine or cotinine traces, and hence you can less likely test positive for nicotine. But there are chances that you may test positive for Marijuana or THC if you are exposed to a smoking environment in an enclosed space. If it is an open space, it is less likely that you may get positive results in your oral saliva drug test.
Chances of false positives in an oral saliva drug test
The oral saliva drug tests are 99% accurate and less likely to produce false positives for nicotine. But there are chances that it may show up if you consume substances containing thiocyanate. You can find them in certain medications and foods like broccoli, garlic, almonds, cabbage, etc. To be precise, there are higher chances that vegans may show false positives for nicotine if they consume thiocyanate-rich foods frequently.
Is Vaping a better alternative to smoking cigarettes to pass the saliva drug test?
Vaping devices deliver nicotine effectively in lesser amounts than regular cigarettes, making it an alternative to smoking. But, if your saliva drug test is near, the nicotine may show up in your saliva, making it less likely to pass your drug test. So, it is best recommended to completely avoid smoking cigarettes in any form if your drug test is on the cards.
Final words
Saliva drug tests can trace the drug substances consumed before a short period. It is best recommended to stop using nicotine and nicotine replacement products for a while to pass your drug test.