Will Poppy Seeds Affect a Drug Test?

If you have a drug test coming up, put that poppy seed muffin down! If you’re wondering if poppy seeds affect a drug test, yes, it can make it positive.

I just read a news story about a woman in PA who had her newborn baby taken away because she tested positive for opiates. Her baby was held for five days, all because she had eaten a poppy seed bagel that morning. She sued the hospital and won, and they have since changed their policy!

But you should still be careful with anything containing poppy seeds if you may be tested. Read on to find out why poppy seeds affect drug tests, what drugs it shows up as, and how long it stays in your system.

Why Do Poppy Seeds Affect Drug Tests?

Despite being harmless in food, poppy seeds contain trace amounts of morphine and other opiates from the opium poppy plant. This can sometimes cause confusion during drug screenings, leading to false positives for opioid use.

Poppy Seeds and the Opiate Connection

Poppy seeds come from the Papaver somniferum plant, the same species used to produce opium-based medications like morphine and codeine. While the seeds themselves don’t contain opiates, they can be contaminated by opium latex during harvesting.

The unwashed or minimally processed seeds retain some of these opiates, which can be detected in urine tests.

If you happen to be making your own poppy seed food products, you can lessen the chance of them containing opiates by thoroughly washing the seeds, boiling them, or purchasing pre-washed seeds.

How Much Poppy Seed Does It Take for a Positive Result?

Even in small amounts, the morphine from poppy seeds can trigger a positive test result. Since many drug screenings cannot distinguish between poppy seed-derived morphine and illegal opioid use, consuming even small amounts of foods like poppy seed bagels, muffins, or pastries before a test could lead to an unexpected result.

What Drugs Do Poppy Seeds Show Up As?

Poppy seed consumption can cause a false positive for the following opiates:

• Morphine
• Codeine
• Thebaine (less common but present in some tests)

Many standard urine drug tests check for these opiates. If a test detects morphine or codeine in your system, you may need to provide an explanation and possibly undergo further testing to differentiate between poppy seed consumption and actual opioid use. Better to be safe than sorry!

How Long Do Poppy Seeds Stay in Your System?

The amount of time poppy seeds can influence a drug test varies based on factors like your metabolism, the quantity consumed, and the test’s sensitivity.

• Urine tests: Can detect opiates from poppy seeds for up to 48 hours after ingestion.
• Blood tests: Rarely used for this purpose but could detect morphine for a few hours post-consumption.
• Saliva tests: Less common for opiate detection but could register opiates for a few hours to a day.
• Hair follicle tests: These typically look for long-term drug use and are less likely to be affected by poppy seeds.

Most workplace drug tests (and the hospital like in the beginning of this article) use a urine sample, making it the most relevant concern.

How to Reduce the Risk of a False Positive

If you enjoy poppy seed foods but want to avoid a failed drug test, here’s what you can do:

1. Avoid poppy seed foods before a drug test (the most obvious answer)
   • If you know you have a drug screening coming up, refrain from eating poppy seed-containing foods for at least 48-72 hours beforehand.
2. Choose washed poppy seeds
   • Heavily processed or pre-washed poppy seeds contain significantly lower opiate levels than unwashed varieties.
3. Rinse poppy seeds before use
   • If using poppy seeds in cooking, wash them thoroughly by soaking and rinsing to remove any surface opiates.
4. Inform your employer or testing facility
   • If you test positive for opioids and believe it was due to poppy seed consumption, let the lab or employer know. Some advanced tests can distinguish between dietary morphine and drug use.

Skip the Poppy Seed Bagel

Poppy seeds can be an unexpected culprit when it comes to drug test results. While the likelihood of a positive opioid test from a single poppy seed bagel is low (but possible!), large quantities or unwashed seeds can increase the risk. If you have an upcoming drug test, it’s best to play it safe and skip the poppy seed pastries for a few days beforehand.