Can a Lab Tell the Difference Between Poppy Seeds and Opiates
True or False: Eating Poppy Seed Pastries Can Lead To a Positive Drug Test for Heroin
Drug testing is becoming more than and more common in our society, and false positive results tin have a devastating impact on an innocent person's career. Have you heard rumors that eating poppy seed pastries can cause positive examination results for heroin? It'south truthful! Opiates (such every bit heroine, morphine, and codeine) tin exist constitute in urine samples for as long as two days afterward eating poppy seed-containing foods, and for up to 60 hours if large quantities of the seeds are consumed. Hair analysis is a more authentic, but less commonly used method of testing for contempo heroin use: in a hair assay, a false positive test would not occur after eating poppy seed pastries.
Testify for the Health Merits
Heroin is a derivative of morphine, the active ingredient in opium which is obtained from the opium poppy. Heroin also contains acetylcodeine, which your body converts to codeine. Traces of both morphine and codeine can besides be found in the poppy seeds which are commonly used as ingredients in a multifariousness of baked goods.
Until December one, 1998, the National Constitute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) had set the cut-off concentration level for opiate urine tests at 300 ng/ml for the Federal Workplace Drug Testing Program. Simply this standard urine screening was non able to reliably differentiate between poppy seed eaters and opiate users based on concentration levels of opiates. That's considering eating a poppy seed bagel will produce an opiate level of approximately 250 ng/ml three hours later on, and ingesting three teaspoons of poppy seeds tin can result in a level of 1,200 ng/ml 6 hours later.
Studies have been conducted worldwide to verify the validity of what has been called "the poppy seed defense." In a variety of studies, subjects have shown initially negative test results for opiates, followed by positive results only a few hours later after having consumed cakes, rolls, muffins, staff of life, or bagels containing poppy seeds.
One high-profile demonstration of the validity of poppy seed drug examination claims was conducted by the Discovery Channel goggle box program called "Mythbusters." One participant ate a poppy seed block and tested positive for opiates a ½-hour afterward. The other participant ate three poppy seed bagels and tested positive two hours after. Both parties continued to test positive for 16 hours.
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) conducted a study that examined the results of 317,500 urine specimens that were tested for opiates and reviewed by 3 Medical Review Officer (MRO) groups, as well as 1.i million specimens from five certified laboratories. The MRO's reportedly reversed 87% of all the positive urinalysis test results due to false positives attributed to poppy seed ingestion, prescription medication, or other reasons.
The laboratory results showed that approximately 81% of the specimens that tested positive for codeine and morphine had concentration levels under ii,000 ng/ml. As a result, NIDA guidelines accept been amended and cut-off levels for opiates have been increased to 2,000 ng/ml. The U.s. military has set the cut-off level at three,000 ng/ml to avert false positive results.
Testify Against the Health Claim
Hair assay is a more than accurate means of testing for heroin use as it is impossible for poppy seed ingestion to produce a false positive result. That's because the opioid in poppy seeds does not stay in the bloodstream long plenty or in high plenty concentrations to be trapped inside hair follicles in measurable quantities.
Besides, heroin can be best identified past the presence of the singled-out heroin metabolite chosen 6-O-monoacetylmorphine (vi-MAM). The new NIDA guidelines require testing for the half dozen-MAM metabolite in urine. However, heroin is metabolized chop-chop in the body, so 6-MAM'south presence can only be detected through a urine test on the same day that a person used heroin. This makes the likelihood of identifying heroin users through urine testing very poor. Just 6-MAM is identifiable in the pilus for months.
Recently there has been extensive research on the utilise of saliva in drug testing. The advantage is obvious, as the ease with which a sample can be collected makes it a actually attractive for testing. Oral fluid drug testing is already used in the transportation and insurance industries. Information technology volition likely be introduced in the other places, too. The major disadvantage of such testing is that it does non provide historical data almost drug usage, as drugs disappear from saliva within hours of usage.
Decision
Some organizations have decided non to accept any chances with poppy seeds and drug testing. Federal prisons do not permit prisoners to eat poppy seeds and require prisoners to sign a class like-minded to abstain from eating poppy seed products while taking authorized leaves of absence. Considering dissimilar organizations may utilise dissimilar guidelines for testing, before you lot take a drug test, think about your contempo poppy seed consumption. Maybe today is a practiced day to try a sesame seed bagel!
References
ATSDR pilus assay panel discussion. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Department of Health and Human being Services website. Available at: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/HAC/hair%5Fanalysis/hairanalysis-appD-M.pdf . Accessed November vii, 2008.
Autry JH. Testimony on federal workplace drug-testing. Usa Section of Health and Man Services, Substance Corruption and Mental Health Services Assistants website. Available at: http://www.hhs.gov/asl/evidence/t980723f.html . Published July 1998. Accessed Nov 7, 2008.
Cone EJ, Clarke J, Tsanaclis 50. Prevalence and disposition of drugs of abuse and opioid treatment drugs in oral fluid. J Anal Toxicol. 2007;31:424-433.
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Hawks RL, Chiang CN, eds. Urine testing for drugs of corruption. National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Wellness website. Available at: http://world wide web.drugabuse.gov/pdf/monographs/73.pdf . Published 1986. Accessed November vii, 2008.
Loma V, Cairns T, Cheng CC, et al. Multiple aspects of hair analysis for opiates: methodology, clinical, and workplace populations, codeine, and poppy seed ingestion. J Anal Toxicol . 2005;29:696-703.
Meadway C, George S, Braithwaite R. Opiate concentrations following the ingestion of poppyseed products—evidence for the "poppy seed defence force." Forensic Sci Int . 1998;96:29-38.
Mikkelson B. Seeded results. urban legends reference pages. Snopes.com website. Available at: http://www.snopes.com/medical/drugs/poppyseed.asp . Accessed Nov 7, 2008.
O'Connor A. The merits: eating poppy seeds can make you fail a drug test. The New York Times website. Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/eleven/health/11real.html . Published January 2005. Accessed on November 7, 2008/
Poppy seeds and drug tests. The Vaults of Erowid website. Available at: http://www.erowid.org/plants/poppy/poppy%5Ftesting.shtml . Updated August 2008. Accessed November 7, 2008.
Presley L, Lehrer M, Seiter Westward, Hahn D, Rowland B, Smith M, Kardos KW, Fritch D, Salamone S, Niedbala RS, Cone EJ. Loftier prevalence of 6-acetylmorphine in morphine-positive oral fluid specimens. Forensic Sci Int. 2003;133:22-25.
Plan statement on furloughs–modify observe. Usa Section of Justice, Federal Agency of Prisons website. Available at: http://www.bop.gov//policy/progstat/5280%5F008.pdf . Published February 1998. Accessed November vii, 2008.
Selavka CM. Poppy seed ingestion as a contributing factor to opiate-positive urinalysis results: the Pacific Perspective. J Forensic Sci . 1991;36:685-696.
Prototype Credit: Nucleus Communications, Inc.
Source: https://www.winchesterhospital.org/health-library/article?id=156998
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