The first thing you need to know is that when it comes to drugs, there’s no such thing as a “safe” dose. There’s just not enough data on how they affect different individuals. Some people react very well to certain drugs while others don’t react at all. So if you’re going out drinking with your friends and one of them takes cocaine, chances are that person will have a positive test even though their body isn’t affected by the drug in any way whatsoever!
On the other hand, some people may react very poorly to certain drugs. They’ll get sick or feel nauseous from them and will pass a drug test because their body doesn’t respond to them in the same way. If you’ve ever had this happen to you, then you already know what I’m talking about.
So how does eating poppy seeds affect a drug test?
Well, that depends on several things. First off, you have to consider the type of poppy seed you eat.
Do you eat the whole pod or only the seeds?
That’s going to make a big difference in how much of the active ingredient (THC) is in your food.
Also, do you eat them on a regular basis?
If so, that’s also going to make a difference. The more often you eat something with a certain amount of an active ingredient, the more your body is going to build up a resistance to it.
If you only ate those particular poppy seeds just one time, chances are you’re not going to show any traces in your system. If you’re a heavy user of opiates, however, then you may test positive for them.
Why do people mix drugs?
That’s a common mistake that people make when they use drugs. Mixing them makes it so your body has to metabolize and process many different things at one time. Your body can’t focus on just one thing so it ends up getting everything out of your system in one painful exit. It’s just like when you have the flu and everything hurts.
While it’s true that mixing drugs is bad for you, there are ways you can avoid a false positive. If you’re going to be tested and want to eat poppy seeds, do so at least a week before the test. The seeds will show up in your system within 24 hours but you should be clear by the time you take the test unless you’ve eaten an unreasonable amount.
If you’re going to be tested in the next 24 hours and have eaten a large amount of poppy seeds recently, drink plenty of water. The water will help you process the seeds faster and should get out of your system in time for the test.
Sources & references used in this article:
Poppy seed consumption and toxicological analysis of blood and urine samples by MR Moeller, K Hammer, O Engel – Forensic science international, 2004 – Elsevier
Can a poppy seed food addict pass a drug test? by JM Bonicamp, IL Santana – Microchemical journal, 1998 – Elsevier
The determination of morphine in urine and oral fluid following ingestion of poppy seeds by TP Rohrig, C Moore – Journal of analytical toxicology, 2003 – academic.oup.com
Poppy seed ingestion as a contributing factor to opiate-positive urinalysis results: the Pacific perspective by CM Selavka – Journal of Forensic Science, 1991 – astm.org
Death due to complications of bowel obstruction following raw poppy seed ingestion by LM Schuppener, RF Corliss – Journal of forensic sciences, 2018 – Wiley Online Library
The analysis of thebaine in urine for the detection of poppy seed consumption by G Cassella, AHB Wu, BR Shaw… – Journal of analytical …, 1997 – academic.oup.com
Urine drug test interpretation: what do physicians know? by GM Reisfield, RL Barkin, F Webb, G Wilson – Journal of opioid …, 2007 – wmpllc.org
Poppy seed foods and opiate drug testing-where are we today? by DW Lachenmeier, C Sproll… – Therapeutic drug …, 2010 – journals.lww.com
