In the ongoing saga about an employer who has demanded that his employees not smoke, even on their own time, Bill Keezer links to comments about the unenforceability of such an edict.
A friend of mine underwent an entrance physical for one job, and the exam included a urinalysis. (Probably tested for recreational drugs, too.) The results came back showing he was a heavy smoker – based on a high level of nicotine metabolites in his urine.
Well, as it happens, he doesn't smoke. He had a heart attack some years ago, and gave up all the vices that correlate with heart disease. He's actually reversed quite a bit of the damage, which left his cardiologist deliriously happy. "I knew it would work if any patient ever actually tried it!" was his cry. One of the positive steps he was taking at the time was dosing himself with large amounts of niacin to keep his cholesterol down.
Niacin is sold in two forms: nicotinic acid, and nicotinic acid amide. Those who take large doses of the first will develop an uncomfortable flush as the capillaries on the skin dilate. After a while, though, the user builds up a tolerance and the flush quits happening. By the way, if you haven't already triggered on the word "nicotinic" in the chemical name of niacin, you should now. They are related, and yield breakdown products in the body that cross-react on drug tests.
My friend was able to convince the doctors they were picking up the niacin without following up on his offer to take half a gram of the stuff in front of them and not flush.
Most smokers, though, are probably not megadosing themselves with niacin, though, and this drug test would reveal their private sins.
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