Codeine / promethazine Drug Test Guide: Panels, Detection Windows & More
Evidence-based answer reviewed against SAMHSA cutoffs and FDA assay documentation · Updated August 2026
Quick answer: Opioid (codeine) + sedating antihistamine (promethazine) — included on the federal 5-panel. Urine detects it roughly 1–3 days (codeine); hair archives ~90 days; saliva and blood track only recent use. Covered by the standard opiate strip: 2,000 ng/mL morphine/codeine.
Overview
This guide covers everything verifiable about how testing handles Codeine / promethazine ('lean') (also searched as: promethazine, lean, purple drank): which panels include it, detection windows across specimens, cutoff levels, false-positive risks, and legitimate prescription handling.
Panel membership
| Panel | Codeine status |
|---|---|
| 5-Panel | ✅ Included |
| 10-Panel | ✅ Included |
| 12-Panel | ✅ Included |
| DOT 5-panel (safety-sensitive) | ✅ Included |
Detection windows
| Test type | Typical Codeine detection window |
|---|---|
| Urine | any: 1–3 days (codeine) |
| Saliva (Mouth Swab) | any: 1–2 days |
| Hair Follicles | up to 90 days |
| Blood | any: ~12–24 hours |
Cutoff levels
Covered by the standard opiate strip: 2,000 ng/mL morphine/codeine.
Cutoffs exist to separate real use from noise — dietary exposure, passive contact and legacy medications stay below them by design. Screen-above-cutoff results still require mass-spec confirmation before reporting.
Deep-dive facts
Lean's codeine lands squarely on the classic opiate panel — this is one street drug standard testing catches without any expansion.
Promethazine itself isn't screened, but it can flag old-generation amphetamine screens as a false positive; confirmation sorts it out.
Prescription codeine (codeine-acetaminophen tablets, cough syrup) verifies via MRO like any opioid script.
Legal status note
Codeine Schedule II/III/V by formulation; promethazine unscheduled Rx.
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How accurate are drug tests?
Lab-based immunoassay screens agree with confirmation testing ~97% of the time; confirmed GC–MS results are considered definitive. Home kits trade legal defensibility for convenience.
Do prescriptions count against me?
No — verified prescriptions report as negative through the Medical Review Officer. Declare medications at collection and answer the follow-up call.
Sources & further reading
- SAMHSA — Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs (cutoffs, MRO process)
- DOT — 49 CFR Part 40 procedures for transportation workplace testing
- Brahm NC et al., Mayo Clinic Proceedings 2008;83(1):66–76 — false-positive cross-reactivity reference
- FDA — drug-of-abuse test device labeling (detection window conventions)