Expert: Barbara Judge - 7/6/2007

Question
Hello, I have recently taken a drug test and received a positive for opiates, specifically Morphine (at 398ng/mL). I was confused as to how this could show up since I have not taken any opiates. I am on a variety of medicines and at the time I was on prednisone and zithromax for a sinus infection. I also had eaten a large poppy seed muffin a couple of hours prior to the test and had not gone to the bathroom before the test. When I asked my local pharmacist about this she said that she had never heard of a poppy seed muffin causing a positive on a drug test. I am wondering if you would have any clue as to what could have caused this and if you have any idea of who I could contact to get more information on how to prove this was not morphine. Thank you very much for your time, Nina

Answer
    It is possible to have tested positive for morphine after eating a large quantity of poppy seeds.  The test you were given was one that had a very low threshold for positive screenings.  Given the fact that you ate a large portion of poppy seeds within just a few hours before giving what I assume was a urine sample the concentration of the opiates in your urine would have been at its highest when you were tested, only to drop almost completely down to nothing within 12 hours.  Unfortunately there is probably no way to prove the source to the opiates in your system unless you have several witnesses who saw you eating the muffin that the persons who were testing you will consider more credible than their test.

Thanks

Barb Judge