# Second-hand marijuana smoke



## Ragnarok (19 Jan 2004)

I‘m planning to join the army soon, and I‘m concerned about the urine test.  I don‘t smoke marijuana myself, but I‘m around people who do all the time.  I don‘t know how worried I should be.

I‘ve done a bit of reading on the net, and it‘s my understanding that it really depends on how much second-hand smoke I‘m exposed to, and how sensitive the test is.

So my questions are:

Does anyone know the type of test is used by the recuiters, and what threshold they use?

What happens if I fail the test after telling them I don‘t smoke?  Do they brand me a liar and cast me out forever?


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## Sh0rtbUs (19 Jan 2004)

my best advice is DONT LIE! they will find out, and if they find it in your system after you‘ve said you havent had anything to do with it...they‘ll be pissed and you‘ll be out the door.

During your aptitude test, you‘ll have to fill out a paper with ALL the drugs you‘ve used. For the love of god dont lie..it will get you into an even worse situation. A friend of mine that was there admitted to bunning, and a Warrant Officer simply took him into his office and gave him a talk about the Army‘s no drug policy. he simply told them he has stopped, but obviously not soon enough, since it was still in his system. he was allowed to continue...but I assume they have a close eye on him now.

I wouldnt sweat it, if they find dope in your system, and you have a reasonable explanation for it...they‘ll more than likely let it pass.

Im not sure how sensitive the test are, but Im sure if you have it in your system, it will be detected.

now if you smoked crack or did heroin or something...then you might have a problem


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## Danny (19 Jan 2004)

Exactly, just tell them the truth!


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## Ragnarok (19 Jan 2004)

Okay.  I wasn‘t planning on lying about anything; I have nothing to lie about.  I‘m just worrying that second-hand smoke might keep me out of the army.

Are you guys saying that they won‘t care about THC in my urine if I have a good excuse?  That doesn‘t seem quite right.


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## ringo_mountbatten (19 Jan 2004)

I am not criticizing or judging you, but don‘t you think that if you knew you going to be drug tested, that you should have found other people to be around until the test.  When I started the process I was still in university and I went out of my way to avoid friends and parties that otherwise I would have had to inhale some smoke.  I know sometimes that is not easy, but sometimes, unfairly, people are judged by the company they keep.  I hope it all goes well for you.


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## Sh0rtbUs (19 Jan 2004)

hey Danny, whereabouts in Cape Breton are you from? I‘ve lived in Baddeck, Sydney and North Sydney...

sry to take things off topic.

But, i do think that your in a position that, you‘re only option is to tell the truth, be honest and they‘ll more than likely cut you some slack.


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## btk_joker (19 Jan 2004)

Y‘know, I‘m not sure that they want people who hang out with people who smoke pot, unless of course it was medicinal    . 
  Anyway, I wouldnt tell them that you got second hand like that because its just as bad. And I dunno about anyone else but they didnt even test mine for drugs..or any of my friends.

The moral: get new friends!

J. Lightfoot


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## Da_man (19 Jan 2004)

It will appear in the tests... but not enough to make you "guilty".  just tell them anyway.  I told them i smoked pot 8 months prior to my interview, and there was no problem.  (as long as i dont smoke anymore)


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## Gryphon (20 Jan 2004)

like everyone else said.. TELL THEM THE TRUTH.. but otherwise, i don‘t think that there‘s going to be so much that they‘ll suspect you of smoking... but tell them that you don‘t, but friends of your do


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## muskrat89 (20 Jan 2004)

I help administer the drug-testing program, in my workplace. I knew the answer, but wanted to find it in the materials I had. Here you go:

"Second hand smoke" refers to high dose of ambient marijuana and/or crack cocaine smoke which, if passively inhaled may cause, in an individual, conversion of urine or hair test results from negative to positive. To date, most studies indicate that the amount of second hand smoke that needs to be inhaled is so great that it makes it highly unlikely that this could be accepted as a valid alternative explanation for a positive urine or hair test result."

To be safe - stay away from people smoking pot. Hopefully, all of your new friends in the Military won‘t be interested in it anyway


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## Ragnarok (20 Jan 2004)

Thanks for the answers, everybody, escpecially muskrat89.  That was the information I was looking for.  It sounds like I don‘t have to worry.


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## Gibson (20 Jan 2004)

I hung around people who smoked it but not for a long duration.  When they asked I told them the truth that I didn‘t smoke it myself but may have been around it second hand.  Didn‘t have a problem, but I don‘t know how much was in the test results either.


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## Danny (20 Jan 2004)

> Originally posted by Sh0rtbUs:
> [qb] hey Danny, whereabouts in Cape Breton are you from? I‘ve lived in Baddeck, Sydney and North Sydney...
> 
> sry to take things off topic.
> ...


Hey I live in Brasd‘or its right next to North Sydney.


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## humint (22 Jan 2004)

Just tell them that you don‘t smoke pot -- plain and simple. 

Second hand smoke doesn‘t count. 

You can tell them that you have friends who smoke pot, but make sure you emphasize that you are  NOT interested in smoking the reefer and that you just don‘t do it.

Trust me, they will press you on this issue. So, be honest, keep your story straight, and don‘t get nervous.

And, make sure you remove yourself from/avoid that pot-smoking environment 30 days before your interview. And, you may want to avoid that environment in the future as well, just to keep on the safe side.


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## kbenn (23 Jan 2004)

does it show in the urine test?  one would think that urine- seeing as it passes through your system quite frequently- would not show anything unless one was to be around the second hand smoke in the  few days prior to the test? 
just wondering because i  am in a similar situation.


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## GrahamD (23 Jan 2004)

Drink a huge whack of cranberry juice when you wake up the morning of your test, allow maybe two hours for the juice to be fully digested and entered into your bladder.

Obviously, you‘re making a huge mistake if you are trying to hide that fact that you smoked pot in the last four weeks or so, and this advice is not intended for people who are doing that.

But if you are inadvertantly exposed to second hand marijuana smoke in the days prior to your test, your best bet is to drink the cranberry juice, or a large amount of coffee, as both have electrolytes which mask those found in the THC that turns up in your urine.

Then when asked if you have used any illegal drugs recently, you express that you have concern that you may have been exposed to second hand marijuana smoke.  You are pretty much guaranteed to turn up negative, and will likely get a warning about hanging around places where you could be exposed to THC in the future.  However even if you blow it with the cranberry juice and end up peeing in the cup before youve digested it and you end up with a hot piss test, then at least you haven‘t lied.


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## boomer38 (31 Jan 2010)

Glad I found this topic in search 

After reading the comments posted by everyone I have came to the conclusions, if you do not smoke pot or you have quit smoking pot for some time with no intention of smoking it again you should be alright. As long as you inform them that you may have been exposed  to second hand smoke in the even that you were actually exposed to second hand smoke correct?


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## PMedMoe (31 Jan 2010)

Maybe it would just be easier not to hang out with people who smoke pot.


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## MARS (31 Jan 2010)

The CF Drug Control Program is briefly described here.  You can't access A-AD-005-DCP/AG-000, _Canadian Forces Drug Control Program Manual_ from the link.  However, the CF utilizes the SAMSHA guidelines which are available on the web.

Essentially, the amount of metabolites in your fat cells they test for (50ng/mill, IIRC) is such that, as Muscrat said, it would be highly unlikely you would test positive from second hand smoke.  Essentially you have to be in a smoke filled, unventilated space no larger than an auto mobile for several hours for the test to show up positive.  I don't have the reference at my fingertips for that, but it comes from DRDC research and that is pretty much how it is explained.   So, there is really no reasonable way to use "second hand smoke" as a reason for it showing up in your system.  If the initial panel (urine) test is positive - or diluted or adulterated - it is sent to one of  I think 6 approved labs in the country for MS/GC testing, which tests for the drug itself, to a limit of 15 ng/mill, IIRC.  This is from my own training as someone who administers the testing.  If you test positive, it was because you put a joint to your lips and inhaled.

Forget cranberry juice, water or anything someone tries to sell you.  These tests weren't developed by a bunch of liberal Arts majors like me, they were developed by chemists with really big brains, which is why they are effective.  Your natural metabolism (combined with age, diet, exercise regime, etc)  is the only thing that determines how quickly it leaves your system.

So, yeah, as others have said - don't lie.  If you do, you are done.  If you have smoked, the CF will make you wait and re-apply at a later date.  Everyone makes mistakes and has transgressions, but lying is not one that we tolerate.

Hope this helps,

MARS
Navy.ca Mentor

_edited for spelling_


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## Fusaki (31 Jan 2010)

I passed a car the other day with it's windows down, and on the radio was Bob Dylan's <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IC5UJajo73s>Mr. Tambourine Man.</a>

Will I test positive for marijuana?


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## Acurax (31 Jan 2010)

Hello everyone.

I will be reapplying to the CF in 3 days and was wondering if this will be a problem: 

I have only smoked marijuana once or twice in my entire life, which was at my brother's party around 2 months ago. I disliked it and will never be doing it again. However, I was exposed to marijuana smoke about a week and a half ago at a smaller party but I did not smoke. Will this be a major problem? I am really interested in joining the Forces. Thanks in advance.


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## PMedMoe (31 Jan 2010)

I believe you need to have not smoked for six months before you can join.


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## Ex-Dragoon (31 Jan 2010)

Acurax said:
			
		

> Hello everyone.
> 
> I will be reapplying to the CF in 3 days and was wondering if this will be a problem:
> 
> I have only smoked marijuana once or twice in my entire life, which was at my brother's party around 2 months ago. I disliked it and will never be doing it again. However, I was exposed to marijuana smoke about a week and a half ago at a smaller party but I did not smoke. Will this be a major problem? I am really interested in joining the Forces. Thanks in advance.



There are plenty of posts already on drug use, past drug use and second hand smoke. Go to the main forum page and use the advanced search. Try typing in various combinations of what you may be looking for such as marijuana, drug use etc.

Locked usual caveats.

Milnet.Ca Staff


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