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Posted by: Pjay on 2010-07-17, 13:40:49
It is a narcotic of the antagonist variety rather than the agonist variety that is more well known, but, depending on whether the test is for narcotics in general or specific for certain "drugs of abuse " it may or may not show up. If you have a prescription it should not be an employment issue. I am curious as to your comment about not having addiction issues in 3 years. Did you have addiction problems in the past? One use of suboxone is to block the euphoria addicts get from the narcotic agonists, causing one to become ill if one uses a narcotic agonist like codeine, or hydrocodone (Vicoden), or heroin. If you are prescribed to prevent your getting high on a narcotic you used to abuse, that might cause an employer pause, especially since suboxone isn't used unless an addict has had a particularly difficult time quitting. And that you haven't abused while on suboxone isn't particularly surprising as the reason to abuse is gone, you can't get high using narcotics. Whatever your reason for the suboxone, and it does have other medical uses, you will be asked before the drug test what prescription drugs you use, and you must list the suboxone, so there should be no problem with it showing up on the test. You may have to explain your medical need for it. I have had no problems with drug testing, even though I take both fentanyl, a narcotic (agonist) 40 times stronger than heroin, and oxycodone, the fast acting form of Oxycontin, a well-known and often abused drug (narcotic agonist). I have never had an abuse problem. Notice I don't say I haven't had an abuse problem in the time I've been taking these drugs or any other amount of time. That you do worries me, as it implies something is being left unsaid. Possibly that the suboxone is treatment for drug abuse? That is a very common use. My advice is to list the suboxone as a prescription and be honest as to why you take it. That way it doesn't matter if it shows up on the test. You can't be denied a job on the basis of a medical condition unless the medical condition makes you unable to do the job. Unless you are actively using, past addiction is a medical condition protected by the Americans With Disabilities Act (And I tell you this in honesty, as I disagree with this act on this issue. PERSONALLY, I see addiction as a personal ethical defect not a medical problem.) so you can be honest about that, too. I just list my narcotics with my other prescriptions and explain the medical conditions I take them for--I have nerve damage that causes constant severe pain. I have cancer which involves painful treatment, but is unlikely to kill me so long as I continue treatment. No one has ever had issue with this, though a new employer did once call the prescribing doctor to confirm. Unless there is something you didn't say, you are making a mountain out of a molehill. But, to specifically answer your question: maybe. It depends on the test, and even this rule of thumb could be wrong, but USUALLY, a urine test will test for narcotics in general, and suboxone is a narcotic, so it will produce a positive test. A blood test is usually used to test for a list of specific drugs, in which suboxone would only be found if they were looking for it. Again, this is irrelevant because you will have listed the suboxone as a prescription you take. |
