# Ritalin and Adderall on a drug test **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 15, 2002, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ritalin-and-adderall-on-a-drug-test/132364 "2002-10-15T17:29:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ritalin-and-adderall-on-a-drug-test/132364/1 "2002-10-15T17:29:55Z")
Here’s one to ponder. Now that I’m back in the job market again, I realize that I might have some problems with drug tests. I have a subscription for Metadate, which is a time-release form of Ritalin. Drugs for AD/HD will show up as meth on drug tests. If I whip out my prescription, the employer will know that I’ve got AD/HD … and then pass on me as a prospective employee. Why hire someone who needs drugs to help him concentrate? So … what to do? ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ritalin-and-adderall-on-a-drug-test/132364/2 "2002-10-15T19:37:32Z")
1. Wouldn’t the Americans With Disabilities act cover folks with AD/HD? 2. It’s always best to be honest with prospective employers about any physical conditions you may have. 3. Wouldn’t you rather have your positive drug test for “meth” be easily explainable by the fact that you’re on Ritalin? Another reason to be upfront with the Boss about your meds. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ritalin-and-adderall-on-a-drug-test/132364/3 "2002-10-15T20:15:42Z")
A valid physician’s prescription for a drug is an acceptable reason to have that drug appear in your urine. So if a test shows the presence of stimulants, once the validity of the Rx is demonstrated, the official report on the urine drug screen will be “negative”. QtM, MD Certified Medical Review Officer. ---
**Author:** ![Savaka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/858c86/32.png) [@Savaka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savaka)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ritalin-and-adderall-on-a-drug-test/132364/4 "2002-10-15T23:06:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Duck Duck Goose \* > **1. Wouldn’t the Americans With Disabilities act cover folks with AD/HD?** It would. But the devil’s in the details. The burden of proof would be on **elmwood** to prove that his ADHD was the reason that he was passed over, and this would be very difficult to do. That said, I would still vote for full disclosure. If you’re hired, you never have to worry about them finding out that you hid something from them. ---
**Author:** ![hermn8r](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/53a042/32.png) [@hermn8r](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hermn8r)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2002, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ritalin-and-adderall-on-a-drug-test/132364/5 "2002-10-16T01:55:41Z")
Kind of a Hijack, but a question for Qadgop… When the results of a drug test are returned to a prospective employer how are they stated? Does it state what the failure was or simply a positive for ‘drugs’ without saying of what form? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ritalin-and-adderall-on-a-drug-test/132364/6 "2002-10-17T02:40:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by hermn8r \* > \*\*Kind of a Hijack, but a question for Qadgop… > > When the results of a drug test are returned to a prospective employer how are they stated? > > Does it state what the failure was or simply a positive for ‘drugs’ without saying of what form? \*\* It varies. The ones for the Dept. of Transportation are the most standard, and basically just say that the test was positive for “x” drug.