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sobergirl21 · Jun 4, 2013, 06:14 PM

Please help. I received a call from my probation officer this am telling me I had tested positive for ETG. I haven't drank in a year, nor do I take any OTC medications. Obviously I denied it, as that was the truth, I take my sobriety very seriously. She said they are going to send the test for confirmation based on my denial. What exactly is confirmation and why would that produce a different result?
She said she does believe me, and I have offered to take a hair follicle test. I just don't understand why a test would show up positive and then has the potential to not be after they run a "confirmation." What is this?

J_9 · Jun 4, 2013, 06:17 PM

Do you use mouthwash? Hand Sanitizer? Many daily things contain alcohol that can be absorbed through your skin or mucous membranes.

sobergirl21 · Jun 4, 2013, 06:26 PM

I know. I work at a thrift store where we use cleaning products and ran over to do a test on my break. The thing that confuses me is that she states the confirmation test can distinguish between consumption and incidental exposure to alcohol, and that other people in the program have had initial positives, which where then negative after confirmation (due to diabetes, being around cleaning products etc). I just wanted to know if this is true or not. If it is, then I am in the clear, but I haven't seen much info on it.

mocha54 · Jun 6, 2013, 01:35 AM

There is a gcms test that will confirm if you have consumed alcohol

sobergirl21 · Jun 6, 2013, 07:56 AM

Originally Posted by mocha54

There is a gcms test that will confirm if you have consumed alcohol

My initial EtG came back as 640. No other values. Confirmation screen should be back tomorrow. I did not ingest any alcohol. Will keep you posted on the results even after I go to jail. Said she thinks incidental, but according to itc in Colorado, a jail sanction

sobergirl21 · Jun 7, 2013, 05:04 PM

I wanted to add how this ended. The second (confirmation) screen showed zero EtG and zero ets, so apparently whatever they are doing for the first screen has a failure rate that is signifcant... I spoke to someone else who had 3 test positive for ETG followed by 3 negative confirmation screens. The lab performing these tests is Norchem in Flagstaff AZ, in case anyone runs across this.

I think what angers me is that they were going to send me to jail WITHOUT running the confirmation screen first.