Some brands use a small amount of ethanol that won’t get you drunk but might still raise the flag. However, if you consume caffeine in energy drinks, there is some concern that it can produce a false positive on a BAC (alcohol breathalyzer test). If you get your caffeine from coffee, the answer is no. Will Caffeine Trigger a False Positive on a Drug Test? Therefore, it is unlikely that coffee will trigger a false positive on most standardized tests. These tests also look for a wide range of drugs at the same time, which was impossible 40 or 50 years ago. However, modern testing has come a long way, and there are not nearly as many false positives now as there were in the 1970s. Caffeine, in particular, could lead to a false positive on a drug test for methamphetamines. In the past, drug tests were much less sensitive than they are today, and it was more common to get a false positive by eating certain foods like poppy seeds or drinking a beverage like coffee or an energy drink. Keep reading as we discuss what drugs might be mistaken for caffeine and why you shouldn’t drink coffee before a test.Ĭan Coffee Cause a False Positive Drug Test?
The short answer is that it depends on what the test is looking for, but sometimes coffee can trigger it. Many people want to know if coffee can cause a false positive drug test.
If you have a drug test scheduled, you may have heard that you shouldn’t drink caffeine before the test.