Photo: Alys Tomlinson/Shutterstock
The Department of Defense is warning military service members to ax poppy seed bagels and muffins from their diet.
In a memo dated Feb. 17, Under Secretary of Defense Gilbert R. Cisneros, Jr., wrote recent data suggests that certain poppy seed varieties might have higher codeine contamination than previously reported which could cause codeine-positive urinalysis and undermine “theDepartment’s ability to identify illicit drug use.”
“Concerns with poppy seeds and drug testing are not new,” Cisneros said.
The Department of Defense said it uses drug testing cutoffs to distinguish between morphine and codeine use and poppy seed ingestion, but because of the higher codeine contamination, it could wreak havoc on drug testing in the military.
The Pentagon became aware of issues withpoppy seedsin 2022, Navy Cdr. Nicole Schwegman, a Department of Defense spokeswoman, toldUSA Today. Schwegman said the department has contracted with an independent laboratory to test codeine and morphine contamination in several brands. That analysis led to the warning from Cisneros,USA Todaysaid.
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“The amount of poppy seeds consumed, concentration of codeine detected in urine and time of consumption relative to the drug test are also important factors,” Schwegman told the publication. “As we gather more information, we will reassess and update as appropriate.”
Research shows that morphine and codeine can be detected in urine up to 48 hours after ingesting a poppy seed from pastries, according to the agency.
The amount of morphine residue left on seeds depends on how well the poppy seed was cleaned and processed, which according to the Anti-Doping Agency depends on the country of origin.
The most conservative approach, according to the agency, is to avoid eating poppy seeds a few days before and during competition.
source: people.com
