Many Wisconsin residents know that baking soda can be used for household cleaning, baking, tooth brushing and dozens of other chores. Because the versatile substance can be used for so many things, a lot of people buy it in bulk. However, it may be a good idea to keep baking soda in its original container so that it is not mistaken for cocaine by a cheap drug test.
A truck driving couple found out the hard way that drug test kits are capable of mistaking baking soda for cocaine. During a routine inspection of their vehicle when they were attempting to make a delivery to a military base in Arkansas, several unmarked plastic bags of baking soda landed the couple behind bars for drug charges. A cheap drug test kit produced multiple false positives before the baking soda was correctly identified by more sophisticated lab tests.
The couple spent two months in jail before they were exonerated. While the couple was behind bars, their truck was impounded and they lost the security clearances that they needed to do their job. According to reports, the false positives that were produced by the $2 drug test kit are not unusual. There have been other reports around the country about tortilla flour testing positive for cocaine, candy testing positive for methamphetamine and vitamins testing positive for amphetamines.
A conviction on drug possession charges can result in severe penalties such as incarceration and fines, and it can also affect future employment prospects. Even when it is fairly obvious that the substance tested was not an illegal drug, people who have been handed such charges may still want to have legal assistance in combating them.
