Negative Drug Tests Not Always a Positive Sign: With Better Education and Improved Testing Methods, Cheaters are Less Likely to Beat the System (Drug Testing‪)‬

In the classroom, kids get caught cheating on a test by looking over someone's shoulder. When it comes to a drug test, cheaters get caught because someone is looking over their shoulder. In the United States alone, over 50 million drug tests are administered annually. And just like classmates who "forget" to study, some struggling with addiction are inclined to cheat on a drug test when they already know what the results will be. In fact, some manner of cheating may occur on 1 to 2 percent of drug tests, according to Bill Current, director of the Institute for a Drug-Free Workplace. That translates to over 1 million phony or adulterated samples every year. However, Current contends that properly administered drug tests remain a valuable tool to combat substance abuse.