Cocaine is a stimulant drug from coca leaves, and according to the Trimbos Institute it works for 30 to 60 minutes. According to the Trimbos Institute, the body quickly breaks cocaine down into metabolites, breakdown products, of which benzoylecgonine stays in the body considerably longer than cocaine itself.
According to the Trimbos Institute, after those 30 to 60 minutes a user is not yet sober and cannot, for example, drive safely yet. According to the Trimbos Institute, regular cocaine use can quickly lead to psychological dependence, and according to the NVKC a drug test usually looks for traces of use in the urine.
Star-SHL uses a cut-off of 150 ug/l for cocaine in urine, lowered from 300 ug/l as of 1-12-2020.
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According to Unilabs, a cocaine test in urine measures benzoylecgonine, the metabolite of cocaine, which according to the Trimbos Institute stays in the body considerably longer than cocaine itself. According to the NVKC, a positive result must be confirmed with another analysis method.
There is no nationally agreed reference value; this is what individual laboratories publish.
These 2 laboratories publish the same value: 150 ug/l.
| Laboratory | Group | Reference value (ug/l) | Relative scale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Star-shl | · Everyone · cut-off | 0–150 ug/l |
0 150
|
| Unilabs | · Everyone · a limit, not a range · clinical cut-off | < 150 µg/l |
150
|
| Diagnostiek voor U | · Everyone · a limit, not a range | < 150 ng/mL ng/mL |
Source: Star-shl
Source: Unilabs
Source: Diagnostiek voor U
Each value as the laboratory itself publishes it, retrieved in 2026.
According to Unilabs, a cocaine test in urine looks for benzoylecgonine with an immunoassay, an immunological measurement method: EIA at Unilabs and an enzyme immunoassay at Star-SHL. Diagnostiek voor U gives the result in ng/mL and has a separate test for confirmation, carried out at the MVZ Dessau laboratory.
A cocaine test carries weight, because according to the NVKC a positive drug test result can have far-reaching consequences. According to the NVKC, a positive result must therefore be confirmed with another analysis method, and Star-SHL confirms with GC-MS or LC-MS if necessary, while Unilabs uses LC-MS for confirmation.
According to the NVKC, a cocaine test can be requested, among other things, in clinical care when drug use is suspected, in workplace testing and in testing athletes. The moment counts, because according to the NVKC urine collected within 1 hour of use may not show anything yet. Atalmedial gives a detection time in urine for cocaine of 2 to 4 days after occasional use and up to 8 days after intensive use.
A cocaine result below the cut-off means the laboratory measured nothing above its limit, and according to the NVKC measurement methods can differ between laboratories and the amount taken also affects the result. According to the Trimbos Institute, cocaine cannot be cleared from the urine by drinking a lot of water. According to the Trimbos Institute, a urine test cannot be dodged this way, because the urine is then too diluted, and the test is often taken again or the amount of other substances in the urine is checked.
According to Unilabs, a positive cocaine screen can be repeated with the same immunoassay, but only confirmation testing can establish whether the result is correct or whether a cross-reacting substance was measured, and Unilabs uses LC-MS for it. According to the Trimbos Institute, one medicine is known that could cause a positive urine test for cocaine: quinine.
Urine collected within 1 hour of use
When the urine is collected within 1 hour of drug use, it can happen that nothing can be detected yet.
Last use longer ago than the detection period
Someone who has used cocaine can test positive with a urine test for 2 to 5 days, and with heavy and frequent use for up to 7 to 16 days after the last use.
Recent cocaine use
The test measures benzoylecgonine, the metabolite of cocaine.
Crack use
Someone who has used crack (base coke) can also get a positive test for cocaine use.
Quinine (possibly)
One medicine is known that could cause a positive urine test for cocaine: quinine.
A cross-reacting substance
Only confirmation testing can establish whether a reported result is correct or whether a cross-reacting substance was detected.
When a drug test for cocaine is positive and the person tested denies use, the Trimbos Institute advises calling the Drugs Infolijn (0900-1995) about the result. According to the Trimbos Institute, alcohol during cocaine use may keep a drug test positive for longer, and according to the Trimbos Institute it is not clear how much longer.
According to the Trimbos Institute, someone who uses cocaine a lot and often can test positive with a urine test for up to 7 to 16 days after the last use, compared with 2 to 5 days for someone who has used cocaine.
This marker is included in the following test panels.
Individual cocaine metabolite screening with laboratory confirmation.
Urine drug test for cocaine, ketamine, amphetamine and 3-MMC, plus CDT in blood for alcohol.
Broad 10-substance screening covering CDT, cocaine, ketamine, amphetamines, 3-MMC, LSD, GHB, phenibut, heroin marker, and opiates.
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Cocaine Metabolite
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