Pentagon warns military service members to stay away from poppy seeds, could cause failed drug tests
Poppy seeds could cause a 'codeine positive' drug test, a Pentagon official wrote in a memo
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Poppy seed bagels and muffins could cause U.S. service members to fail a drug test, the Pentagon warned in a memo last week.
Gilbert Cisneros, the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, told military leaders in a Feb. 17 letter that the consumption of poppy seeds could interfere with drug testing.
A young woman opens a poppy pod to reveal the seeds inside at a farmer's poppy field on July 22, 2018 Podkozi, Czech Republic. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
"Concerns with poppy seeds and drug testing are not new," Cisneros wrote, noting that seeds may be contaminated with morphine and codeine during harvest.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Recent data suggests that certain poppy seed varieties may have higher codeine contamination than previously reported. Consumption of poppy seed products could cause a codeine positive urinalysis result and undermine the Department’s ability to identify illicit drug use."
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The Department of Veteran Affairs raised testing levels for opiates from 300 ng/mL to 2000 ng/mL in 2017 due to the potential for false positives from poppy seeds.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Poppy seed rolls are seen at a bake sale. (Paul Weaver/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Poppy seeds are common in baked goods like bagels, cakes, and muffins, as well as other food like salad dressing and granola.
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"Out of an abundance of caution, I find protecting service members and the integrity of the drug testing program requires a warning to avoid poppy seeds," Cisneros wrote in the memo.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"As more information becomes available we will revise this policy accordingly."