FEBRUARY 21, 2022 – The Department of Defense recently issued a memorandum on Warning Regarding Poppy Seed Consumption and Military Drug Testing.
Recent data suggest that certain poppy seed varieties may have higher codeine contamination that previously reported.
The memorandum warns service members that the consumption of poppy seed products could result in a codeine positive urinalysis result.
Out of an abundance of caution, the Department is encouraging all service members to avoid the consumption of poppy seeds in all forms to include food products and baked goods.
As more information becomes available, the Department will revise the policy accordingly.
The Warning Regarding Poppy Seed Consumption and Military Drug Testing memorandum can be found here.
Substance misuse by Service Members is a safety and readiness issue, and the Department remains vigilant in addressing new products and sources that could impact drug testing.
Concerns with poppy seeds and drug testing are not new. Poppy seeds are naturally sourced from the poppy plant, a commercial crop cultivated by the pharmaceutical and food industries.
Seeds may be contaminated during harvest with morphine and codeine, and the DoD uses drug testing cutoffs to distinguish morphine and codeine use from poppy seed ingestion.
Recent data suggests certain poppy seeds 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.
Out of an abundance of caution, protecting Servicemembers and the integrity of the drug testing requires a warning to avoid poppy seeds.