US Department of Defense Warns Military Personnel to Avoid Consumption of Poppy Seeds to Protect Drug Testing Program

The US Department of Defense has issued a warning to military personnel to avoid consuming poppy seeds due to concerns that doing so could affect drug test results. In a memo distributed on Friday from Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Gilbert Cisneros, service leaders were directed to notify service members to avoid consumption of all poppy seeds, including food products and baked goods containing poppy seeds.

The memo, released on Tuesday, states that “out of an abundance of caution,” the warning was issued to protect service members and the integrity of the drug testing program. Natural poppy seeds can be contaminated with morphine and codeine, which can be detected in drug tests if the seeds are ingested.

The concerns over poppy seeds resulting in positive drug tests are not new. Poppy seeds are derived from the poppy plant, and some seeds, as a result of harvesting, can contain levels of morphine and codeine. This is why the US Department of Defense has issued a warning to troops to avoid poppy seeds if they don’t want to test positive on a drug test.

The memo also states that service members should be aware of the potential for poppy seed contamination, and that they should be mindful of the potential consequences of consuming poppy seeds. The US Department of Defense is committed to protecting service members and the integrity of the drug testing program, and this warning is a step in that direction.