Pentagon warns US troops eating poppy seeds could lead to failed drug tests
Eating poppy seeds could lead to a failed military drug test, the US Department of Defense has warned in a memo to its troops.
The announcement comes as recent data suggests that certain poppy seed varieties may have higher codeine contamination than previously reported.
Gilbert Cisneros, the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, said: "The military departments are hereby directed to notify service members to avoid consumption of all poppy seeds."
The memo warns service members that eating poppy seed products could result in a codeine-positive urinalysis result.
It advises that "out of an abundance of caution... protecting service members and the integrity of the drugs testing program" service members should "avoid consumption of all poppy seeds to include food products and baked goods containing poppy seeds".
The memo also said: "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 Department of Defences uses drug testing cutoffs to distinguish morphine and codeine use from poppy seed ingestion."
The department says its policy will be revised accordingly as more information becomes available.
Join Our Newsletter
