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False Positive for MDMA after taking kava

CatLover

Newbie
I consumed some kava this morning (about 3 teaspoons, traditional method), and then went to my suboxone appointment. I tested positive for MDMA (ecstasy). After looking at the internet, I have found a few threads, on this forum, and reddit about the same thing happening to others. I think kava was probably the culprit, although I had taken some nausea medicine a few days ago (zofran). I've taken other drug tests after using kava, that did not come back positive for MDMA.

I'm on probation, and was looking for something to help my anxiety that I can take legally, and I felt like I had finally found something that could help me. I don't know if I'm "allowed" to use kava or not, as I haven't been given an official list of banned substances, and it's not illegal where I live. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to avoid "all mind altering substances" or just "illegal drugs and alcohol." If a drug test for probation comes up positive for MDMA, I'm not going to tell them I used kava, I'm just going to act surprised, and ask for a confirmation test.

I feel like it will be a problem with probation if I keep being positive for MDMA, whether or not it turns out to be a false positive on the confirmation test. At the very least it will look suspicious, and they'll have less sympathy for me, if I mess up and pee dirty, or even drink too much coffee and get a dilute.

I'm drinking some kava right now, thinking about what I should do. I really like drinking kava, honestly, sometimes it's the only thing that keeps me from using benzos or alcohol. I'm super disappointed that this happened. I don't know if I should keep taking kava or not. I don't want to take the risk of going to jail because of it, but on the other hand it's really helping me, and it might be worth the risk. I'm just so disappointed and frustrated.

Any advice? Anyone else been in a similar situation?

edit: the product I used was Wakacon KAVA LAWENA, bought from amazon. do you think switching to a different type of kava will prevent this from happening again?
 
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The Kap'n

The Groggy Kaptain (40g)
KavaForums Founder
I consumed some kava this morning (about 3 teaspoons, traditional method), and then went to my suboxone appointment. I tested positive for MDMA (ecstasy). After looking at the internet, I have found a few threads, on this forum, and reddit about the same thing happening to others. I think kava was probably the culprit, although I had taken some nausea medicine a few days ago (zofran). I've taken other drug tests after using kava, that did not come back positive for MDMA.

I'm on probation, and was looking for something to help my anxiety that I can take legally, and I felt like I had finally found something that could help me. I don't know if I'm "allowed" to use kava or not, as I haven't been given an official list of banned substances, and it's not illegal where I live. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to avoid "all mind altering substances" or just "illegal drugs and alcohol." If a drug test for probation comes up positive for MDMA, I'm not going to tell them I used kava, I'm just going to act surprised, and ask for a confirmation test.

I feel like it will be a problem with probation if I keep being positive for MDMA, whether or not it turns out to be a false positive on the confirmation test. At the very least it will look suspicious, and they'll have less sympathy for me, if I mess up and pee dirty, or even drink too much coffee and get a dilute.

I'm drinking some kava right now, thinking about what I should do. I really like drinking kava, honestly, sometimes it's the only thing that keeps me from using benzos or alcohol. I'm super disappointed that this happened. I don't know if I should keep taking kava or not. I don't want to take the risk of going to jail because of it, but on the other hand it's really helping me, and it might be worth the risk. I'm just so disappointed and frustrated.

Any advice? Anyone else been in a similar situation?
Was it a dip style test? Those are notorious for throwing false positives.

Edit: Also, yes I have seen this before. Do I think it's kava throwing a false positive? No, I think it's these dip tests being crappy. Always request a lab test if you come back hot and you know you're not. If it happens again and again....maybe they'll just stop testing you for it, lol. Yeah, right, but they may start disregarding it as something to do with your physiology.
 
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CatLover

Newbie
Was it a dip style test? Those are notorious for throwing false positives.

Edit: Also, yes I have seen this before. Do I think it's kava throwing a false positive? No, I think it's these dip tests being crappy. Always request a lab test if you come back hot and you know you're not. If it happens again and again....maybe they'll just stop testing you for it, lol. Yeah, right, but they may start disregarding it as something to do with your physiology.
Yes, basically like a dip test. It was a cup with the drug test built into the cup. An instant drug test. After reading multiple posts on reddit, about people testing positive for MDMA after taking kava, I do think there is something to this, and not a problem with the drug test. I requested a confirmation test, and hopefully that will show my innocence.
 

AlexisReal

Kava Enthusiast
I consumed some kava this morning (about 3 teaspoons, traditional method), and then went to my suboxone appointment. I tested positive for MDMA (ecstasy). After looking at the internet, I have found a few threads, on this forum, and reddit about the same thing happening to others. I think kava was probably the culprit, although I had taken some nausea medicine a few days ago (zofran). I've taken other drug tests after using kava, that did not come back positive for MDMA.

I'm on probation, and was looking for something to help my anxiety that I can take legally, and I felt like I had finally found something that could help me. I don't know if I'm "allowed" to use kava or not, as I haven't been given an official list of banned substances, and it's not illegal where I live. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to avoid "all mind altering substances" or just "illegal drugs and alcohol." If a drug test for probation comes up positive for MDMA, I'm not going to tell them I used kava, I'm just going to act surprised, and ask for a confirmation test.

I feel like it will be a problem with probation if I keep being positive for MDMA, whether or not it turns out to be a false positive on the confirmation test. At the very least it will look suspicious, and they'll have less sympathy for me, if I mess up and pee dirty, or even drink too much coffee and get a dilute.

I'm drinking some kava right now, thinking about what I should do. I really like drinking kava, honestly, sometimes it's the only thing that keeps me from using benzos or alcohol. I'm super disappointed that this happened. I don't know if I should keep taking kava or not. I don't want to take the risk of going to jail because of it, but on the other hand it's really helping me, and it might be worth the risk. I'm just so disappointed and frustrated.

Any advice? Anyone else been in a similar situation?

edit: the product I used was Wakacon KAVA LAWENA, bought from amazon. do you think switching to a different type of kava will prevent this from happening again?
I would suggest that if you were to quit the kava for as long as possible but even a short time might make enough difference that you would not be testing positive for MDMA anymore until you resume kava consumption.

It's really interesting and timely that you posted this tonight because I also have been feeling that Kava can actually work as an effective substitute for those who used to use MDMA and crave that healing psychotherapy euphoria and sociability aspect, as well as the Deep acceptance of oneself that being a kava drinker can bring in time.

So on your testing it doesn't actually surprise me but it's obviously a very flawed Testing System which will need to be adapted in the future hopefully. There are definitely some similarities though in the effects of the two substances with regarding brain chemistry activity and stimulation.


I really hope your case works out for the best please keep us posted if you can we all really care here honestly. Good luck.(gonna read the replies above from all the more intelligent members here lol! )
 

Mo'iety

Kava Enthusiast
The kavalactone methysticin shares the methylenedioxy moiety with MDMA (look at how the left side of the methysticin and MDMA molecule in the Wikipedia images look the same). I don't know which metabolites they test for for MDMA but this could be a potential explanation for the false positive depending on how the test works.
 

kavakarma

Kava Enthusiast
Thanks for mentioning zofran, I'm seeing it is a 5HT3 antagonist, which is a serotonergic receptor in your brain. mdma is also. I do believe you encountered a false positive, but I'm equally willing to believe it was the nausea medicine or simply your natural body chemistry as it is the kava. You should definitely be clear to drink kava.
 

DaManTheyCallB

Kava Curious
I would suggest that if you were to quit the kava for as long as possible but even a short time might make enough difference that you would not be testing positive for MDMA anymore until you resume kava consumption.

It's really interesting and timely that you posted this tonight because I also have been feeling that Kava can actually work as an effective substitute for those who used to use MDMA and crave that healing psychotherapy euphoria and sociability aspect, as well as the Deep acceptance of oneself that being a kava drinker can bring in time.

So on your testing it doesn't actually surprise me but it's obviously a very flawed Testing System which will need to be adapted in the future hopefully. There are definitely some similarities though in the effects of the two substances with regarding brain chemistry activity and stimulation.


I really hope your case works out for the best please keep us posted if you can we all really care here honestly. Good luck.(gonna read the replies above from all the more intelligent members here lol! )
I agree with you. Kava has actually helped me stay away from illicit substanances. Heady kavas also have a very light mdma feeling in a sense. My guess is the slight maoi-b effect.
 
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