The seemingly innocuous poppy seed, commonly found in bagels to other culinary delights, harbors a hidden secret. It comes with trace amounts of morphine and codeine. These opioid residues, remnants of harvesting processes, can pose a confusing challenge for drug testing for opiate and codeine drugs. Recognizing this potential complication, the Department of Defense has implemented precise cutoff concentrations within its drug testing protocols. This approach allows for the differentiation between legitimate poppy seed consumption and illicit narcotic use to ensure more accurate and reliable results for drug tests.
What are Poppy Seeds?
Poppy seeds are tiny, oil-rich seeds obtained from the opium poppy plant, scientifically known as Papaver somniferum. These tiny, kidney-shaped seeds are commonly used as a culinary ingredient in various cuisines worldwide. While opium poppies are also the source of opium, from which opioids like morphine and codeine are derived, the seeds themselves do not contain significant amounts of these compounds.
Can Poppy Seeds Make You Fail a Drug Test?
Poppy seeds, though they won’t make you high, can stir up a fuss on drug tests, particularly when it comes to detecting opiates like morphine or codeine. These tests are so sensitive that munching on specific poppy seed-based foods can raise a red flag for opiates. Continue for more on how poppy seeds drug tests work.
The Drug Test Dilemma
Usually, the levels of opiates from poppy seeds are far too low to trigger a positive result. However, some food items sneakily contain undisclosed opiate content, leading to unexpected positive outcomes. Figuring out if it’s due to poppy seeds or actual drug use is tricky, thanks to how the opiate concentrations and morphine-to-codeine ratios overlap.
Workplace versus Military Scenarios
Workplace drug tests usually get reviewed by a medical expert who, unless they spot signs of unauthorized opiate use, tends to overlook high opiate levels from poppy seeds. Yet, in the military, things get a tad trickier. Some service members test positive for codeine due to poppy seeds, facing consequences like punishment or discharge, which can be a tough spot to be in.
Will Poppy Seeds Show on a Drug Test?
According to studies [1], urine tests can sometimes detect morphine and codeine stemming from the ingestion of poppy seeds found in certain baked goods like bagels, muffins, and cakes.
Even though the processing of poppy seeds typically eliminates more than 90% of the opium content, seeds used in food products can still retain a considerable amount of opium – including morphine. The level of morphine residue left on these seeds is contingent upon the cleanliness and processing method, factors influenced by the seed’s origin country, harvest techniques, and processing timelines.
Poppy Seeds and Athlete Drug Testing
The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) cannot accurately determine the quantity of poppy seeds an athlete can safely consume while remaining below the testing threshold established by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) [1]. In most scenarios, eating poppy seeds through food consumption will not yield a positive doping test result.
However, there exists a possibility of surpassing the morphine threshold by consuming food items containing poppy seeds. USADA cannot precisely ascertain the duration during which morphine or its metabolites from poppy seeds will persist in an individual’s system. To exercise caution, athletes may avoid poppy seeds several days before and during competitive events.
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How Much Poppy Seeds is Considered Too Many?
The chance of testing positive for drugs after eating poppy seeds depends on the amount of opiate residue on the seeds and the testing limits set by labs.
Labs have different rules for what’s considered a positive drug test based on opiate levels in urine. Eating more poppy seeds increases the chance of a positive result because it raises the opiate levels in your urine.
It’s not just poppy seed pastries; other products like unwashed seeds and teas claim to help with sleep or pain. Unlike cleaned seeds used in cooking, these unregulated products keep the opiate part.
These unregulated products can be risky. There have been cases where people overdosed and even died from products like poppy seed tea. This shows how dangerous these unregulated poppy products can be.
What Drugs Come From Poppy?
The opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) is the source of several drugs, including:
- Morphine: This alkaloid is a powerful pain-relieving medication. It is commonly used in medical settings for pain management, especially after surgery or in cases of severe pain.
- Codeine: Another alkaloid found in opium, codeine is used as a pain reliever and cough suppressant. It is often found in various prescription and over-the-counter medications.
- Thebaine: This alkaloid is used as a precursor in the semi-synthesis of other opioids, including oxycodone and buprenorphine.
- Opium: The dried latex obtained from the opium poppy contains a mixture of alkaloids, including morphine, codeine, and thebaine. Historically, opium has been used for its analgesic (pain-relieving) properties.
These opioids derived from the opium poppy have significant medical uses but also carry the potential for abuse and addiction. While the opium poppy is the source of these drugs, the seeds themselves (poppy seeds) contain only trace amounts of these alkaloids and are not considered drugs in the same sense.
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Consuming average culinary amounts of poppy seeds, such as those found on bread, bagels, or baked goods, is not known to produce any psychoactive effects or cause a “high.” The levels of morphine and codeine, which are the opioids found in trace amounts in poppy seeds, are typically very low and not sufficient to induce any noticeable psychoactive effects when consumed in ordinary amounts.
If you have concerns about drug testing or potential interactions, it’s advisable to consume poppy seeds in moderation and to be aware of the potential risks associated with excessive consumption. Additionally, if you are subject to drug testing, you may want to inform the testing facility about any recent consumption of poppy seeds.
Foods with Poppy Seeds to Keep an Eye on
Poppy seeds sneak into various food items, especially baked goods and traditional recipes worldwide.
They’re sprinkled into several foods, but spotting them isn’t always easy. So, peek at the ingredient list if you’re cautious.
Here’s a list of common foods that might contain poppy seeds and could be on your radar before a drug test:
- Bagels: Particularly poppy seed bagels or those delicious “everything” ones, buns, and rolls.
- Cakes & Muffins: Think lemon poppy seed cake or muffins.
- Salad Dressings: Keep an eye on dressings; sometimes, they sneak these seeds in.
- Dessert Fillings: Poppy seed filling for desserts or pastries.
- Babka: A yummy Jewish dessert.
- Granola: Even healthy foods like granola might contain poppy seeds.
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After completing detox, individuals embark on a comprehensive treatment plan that involves various therapies and interventions to address opioid addiction. There are different settings for rehab post-detox:
- Residential or Inpatient Rehab: Involves residing at the facility for continuous care and participation in diverse therapies. Suited for severe addiction or lack of supportive home environments.
- Outpatient Rehab: Requires regular visits to the treatment facility while returning home afterward. Suitable for individuals with supportive environments and reliable transportation.
Continued medication is a vital aspect of maintaining sobriety and preventing relapse. Medications such as methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone might be part of this maintenance. Naltrexone acts as an opioid antagonist, blocking the effects of opioids and preventing highs if opioids are used again.
Opioid use disorder treatment involves a range of therapies and supports:
- Counseling: Addresses addiction-related issues.
- Behavioral Therapies: Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), contingency management (CM), or motivational interviewing for positive behavioral changes.
- Family Therapy: Repairs relationships affected by addiction.
- Vocational Training: Assists in securing employment post-rehab.
- Case Management: Provides social services such as basic needs and legal aid, enabling individuals to focus on recovery.
Aftercare is crucial for ongoing recovery. Post-treatment involvement in individual counseling, mindfulness-based relapse prevention (MBRP), participation in support groups like Narcotics Anonymous (NA), utilization of recovery apps, or engaging in recovery management checkups with treatment providers is beneficial.
Comprehensive treatment should address substance use and medical, psychological, social, vocational, and legal issues tailored to individual needs.
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What are Poppy Seeds? Infographic
The infographic below provides information on poppy seeds, which are small, oil-rich seeds derived from the opium poppy plant, scientifically known as Papaver somniferum. These diminutive, kidney-shaped seeds are widely utilized as a culinary ingredient in diverse global cuisines. It’s essential to note that, despite opium poppies being the origin of opium, the seeds per se do not contain substantial levels of compounds such as morphine and codeine, as clarified in the accompanying graphic.
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What Drugs Come From Poppy? image link: https://weleveluptx.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/What-Drugs-Come-From-Poppy-1024×1024.jpg
Embed the above “Foods with Poppy Seeds to Keep an Eye on” Infographic to your Website. This infographic is provided by the We Level Up Addiction Treatment Center team. To use the above infographics, you agree to link back and attribute its source and owner at https://weleveluptx.com/poppy-seed-drug-test/
Foods with Poppy Seeds to Keep an Eye on image link: https://weleveluptx.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Foods-with-Poppy-Seeds-to-Keep-an-Eye-on-1024×1024.jpg
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https://teens.drugabuse.gov/blog/post/drug-testing-poppy-seeds Poppy Seed Drug Test, Can Poppy Seeds Make You Fail A Drug Test? Poppy Seeds Drug Test: Will Poppy Seeds Show on a Drug Test? Poppy Seed and Drug Testing, Poppy Seeds Drug, What Drugs Come From Poppy – Related Articles - Pearson ACS. (2015). Interpreting urine drug screen results in the context of poppy seed use. DOI:
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https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.13664 Poppy Seed Drug Test, Can Poppy Seeds Make You Fail A Drug Test? Poppy Seeds Drug Test: Will Poppy Seeds Show on a Drug Test? Poppy Seed and Drug Testing, Poppy Seeds Drug, What Drugs Come From Poppy – Related Articles - Smith ML, et al. (2014). Morphine and codeine concentrations in human urine following controlled poppy seeds administration of known opiate content [Abstract]. DOI:
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