Vicks Inhaler and Meth tests

[5150guy]

While I read the article below, I found it to be void of the key facts regarding the "meth positives" from the Vicks inhaler. I have worked with a treatment agency and certified testing lab for some time now, and this article as well as Mr. Spellwins write up do not address the key difference between the molecules in the inhaler and actual street meth. Also, no mention was made of how these two substances can be scientifically identified in a given "postive" sample by thier uinique molecular structures.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationw...-home-headlines

While determining whether a person has actually been using the Vicks inhaler vs illicit meth is a bit challenging, by using a couple of specific GC/MS tests the answer starts to become clear.

The key difference is in the prevalence of the specific isomer found in the test sample. The meth D isomer is almost exclusively found in street meth, and this isomer is responsible for the infamous high that meth produces. On the other hand, the L isomer of meth is found in the Vicks inhaler.

The standard has been set up for this test and if a sample comes back positve (according to determined cut off levels) with 80% of the molecules being the L isomer, the vicks inhaler excuse is legit. If the sample is heavy on D isomer meth, the Vicks excuse is not valid. There is a bit more to it than this, and the reading below should shed some light on this question.

http://list.mc.duke.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0303&L=occ-env-med-l&P=13714


I would love to see the lab results and the specific tests that were done on each of the athletes that Mr. Spellwin mentions in his write up. As an FYI, Landis and Gatlin were caught due to the fact that "natural" (made by human body) Testosterone has more C13 than does Testosterone made from yams and soy. Even the good folks at Solvay Pharmaceuticals who make androgel will tell you this.

 

[5150guy]

As a bit of a follow up, I had a chance to talk to a friend who works at the DEA about this matter. Determining which meth isomer that a given person has been using is pretty easy to do. The initial screens via EMITT and imunoassay will only register postive for meth, but some special GC/MS tests will find out the specific isomer pretty quickly.

Also, since the changes in the regulation of various over the counter drugs that could be used for meth production, any person who bought the vicks inhaler would have to have signed for it and got it directly from the pharmacy counter. As a result, if the person can not docuement that he or she purchased the inhaler from a pharmacy(you have to sign for this med now) prior to the test date, you can pretty well bet that the person being tested is not telling you the whole story.

It is well docuemented that many people (mostly women) are using small doses of meth to loose weight. Although extemely addictive and dangerous, meth could be considered the ultimate fat burner. Also, it is a well known fact that Hitler was using meth to enhance the performance and stamina of his soldiers.

Also, due to the absolutely huge off the charts release of Dopamine that come from using meth, it is far more pleasureable than coke, weed, or even great sex. Meth is also used to enhance sexual performance in both the gay and straight communites.

Meth is a cancer on society as a whole, and collectively as a society the cost of meth use is off the charts and is a major parasite on the economy of this nation.

I see no need to get all up in arms about athletes being penalised for testing positive for meth. If you are not using street meth, not using adderall to act as a crutch to manage your addiction, and if you are not taking abnormally large amounts of the vicks inhaler, you have nothing to worry about. Also it is widely known that the vicks inhaler is one of the most widely used and most bogus excuses for meth positives.

Without all the lab results and the specific rulings by the various sports associations, the article cited by Mr. Spellwin leaves far more questions than it does answers.

 

[nycdiesel]

shit man i use that nasal spray crap, had a drug test on monday, i hope that doesnt come up positive

 

[nycdiesel]

Afrin...i take that Afrin spray..i hope it doesnt show up

 

[Powerbuilder333]

LOL, I use Afrin everyday. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[testfire]

afrin can.. as well as ephedra

 

[chembeaker]

afrin contains oxymetazoline which in no way resembles methamphetamine nor does it have a similar molecular weight, also the dose is miniscule and not enough to register past detection cutoff. afrin will not cause a false positive.
the relative amounts of dextro and levrorotary methamphetamine can be determined by use of a refractometer and determining the direction and extent to which the sample deflects light from 0 degree. A racemic mix will not refract light so if light is refracted left there is an excess of levrorotary meth molecules/

meth is not the cancer on society, the pharmaceutical companies are, here is an incomplete list of other cancers and viruses that meth has been scape goated to distract attention from:

television
war
politics
teachers telling kids to rat their parents for disciplining them
coffee
obesity
over eating
laziness
ignorance

who cares if someone wants to use meth or whatever, live and let live, if they only hurt themselves who cares, you don't have to deal with them and most illicit drug users are the result of very hard lives and no one has helped them, victims of abuse, war veterans, mentally ill, the down trodden and those without hope. we should look at them in that light not just as meth junkies, we all have our faults, how many of us pig out nightly in front of the t.v. while there are starving kids on the street that we ignore, that to me is a much greater sin than using meth to make a life of pain seem not so bad. If that is their only source of pleasure in life let them have it, they probably earned it.