What happens if you try to cheat a drug test in Texas?

You need to pass a drug test. Maybe you’re trying to get (or keep) a job, maybe you’re on parole and required to submit to testing or maybe you’re in court-ordered drug rehab.

There’s just one problem: You’re pretty sure you’re going to fail. In this kind of situation, it’s important to acknowledge that everybody makes mistakes from time to time – but you don’t want to compound them. A lot of people do exactly that by trying to cheat their way through the drug test they know is coming, and that happens to be a crime.

The people who oversee these drug tests are onto all the tricks

There’s an entire industry that has grown up around the desire to evade drug testing, and there are plenty of companies out there that will happily sell you synthetic urine (or even real urine that is guaranteed to be drug-free) along with a “foolproof” device that you can use to make it seem like you are contributing the sample.

Don’t try it. The folks that oversee the drug testing are very aware of these devices, along with the dozen or so other tricks that people commonly try.

So, what happens if you get caught? Under Texas law, falsification of drug tests is a crime. You can be charged with a Class B misdemeanor for even being in possession of something like “the Wizzinator” and artificial urine with the intent to falsify your drug test. If you get caught giving (or selling) a device or urine to someone else, you can be charged with a Class A misdemeanor.

The penalties for this can be quite severe. A Class B misdemeanor can net you six months in the county jail and a $2,000 fine, while a Class A misdemeanor can get you up to a year behind bars and a $4,000 fine.

A failed drug test is a problem, but you don’t want to end up in a worse situation. If you’re in trouble because of a drug crime, it’s time to explore your legal options.