Poppy seeds are found in poppy plants. They are edible and often used to make pastries, cakes, fillings, and glazes. They can also be used for diagnostic purposes and are said to treat certain illnesses. However, the poppy plant can be used to make opioids as well, leading many people to wonder if one can get high from the poppy seeds themselves.
How Are Poppy Seeds Used?
There are a variety of poppy seed uses. Besides being used in food, poppy seeds can also be used for medical purposes. They have been known to diagnose abnormalities that occur between the bowels and bladder. Some people feel they may help treat conditions like asthma, insomnia, constipation, diarrhea, coughs, and even cancer, but there is no concrete scientific evidence that this is the case.
How Do Poppy Seeds Work?
Poppy seeds work to diagnose abnormalities between the bladder and bowels. In order to treat these abnormalities, patients must ingest them, which is usually done by eating them with yogurt. After forty-eight hours, the patient’s urine will be monitored for the condition.[1]
Do Poppy Seeds Make You High?
Can poppy seeds really make you high? The truth is that yes, you can get high from poppy seeds. However, the poppy seeds that are found in most foods are not potent or pure enough to create a high.
A poppy seeds high will only be produced from unwashed poppy seeds that are harvested a certain way. These seeds may have opium alkaloids on their coats, meaning that it’s the coating on the seeds that get you high, not the seeds themselves.[2]
What Kinds of Poppy Seeds Get You High?
To get a poppy seeds high, the seeds must be unwashed. Rinsing them will remove the opium alkaloids, meaning it will take away the element that creates the high.
The seeds must also be harvested in a certain way. To maximize opioid effects, the harvester will make cuts in the seed pods before they ripen. This allows the opium to seep into the seed coats and produce a poppy seeds high when ingested.
How Long Do Poppy Seeds Stay in Your System?
Poppy seeds typically stay in your system for forty-eight hours. If larger amounts are consumed, they may stay in your system for up to sixty hours.
If the poppy seeds are in your system, they can cause a positive result for opium on a urine drug test for up to three days.[3]
Side Effects and Warnings of Poppy Seeds
Edible poppy seeds are generally safe. However, eating poppy seeds that are unwashed can be dangerous.
Effects of Taking Large Amounts of Poppy Seeds
Eating large amounts of poppy seeds is highly unsafe. It can lead to a fatal blockage of the bowels. According to the Center for Poison Control, there were nineteen deaths in the United States in 2021 related to the consumption of poppy seeds.[4]
Even if the poppy seeds are generally thought of as safe for consumption, eating too much of anything is dangerous, and poppy seeds are just the same. It’s important to be careful with how much you’re consuming.
Effects of Drinking Poppy Seed Tea
If you are trying for a poppy seed tea high, you should know this can be dangerous as well. While not as dangerous as eating the seeds, drinking tea is not safe either. Twelve deaths have been reported in the United States in relation to opium tea consumption.
Poppy Seeds Addiction, Overdose and Withdrawal
Poppy seeds contain opioid alkaloids presenting symptoms of opioid addiction. These include the following:
Mood swings
Dilated pupils
Flushed, itchy skin
Nodding off
Fatigue
Increased tolerance
Withdrawal symptoms
Troubled relationships
Financial issues
Withdrawal from society
Poppy Seeds Withdrawal Symptoms
One of the reasons opium and poppy seeds are so addictive is that they produce withdrawal symptoms in the body once the body stops receiving the substance. After using poppy seeds regularly, the body will become so used to having the drug in its system that it will be unable to function normally without it.
It will react by exhibiting the following physical and mental functions:
Diarrhea
Nausea and vomiting
Muscle pain
Sweating
Mood swings
Chills
Irritability
Hallucinations
Signs and Risk of Poppy Seed Overdose
Here are some signs of a poppy plant drug overdose to look out for:
Skin turning blue or gray
Shallow breathing
Loss of consciousness
Snorting and gurgling noises
Inability to talk
Lips and fingertips darkening
Treatment for Poppy Seeds and Other Opioid Addiction at Genesis Recovery
If you or a loved one are struggling with an opium or poppy seeds addiction, there is help available. The first step is detox, which is best done under medical supervision in order to stay as safe as possible. They will provide assistance to ensure the patient is kept as comfortable as possible and to see to it that relapse doesn’t occur.
Opiate Addiction Treatment Services
After detox is completed, the patient will move on to therapy to address their poppy seeds high dependency issue. A customized plan is also worked out during this time. Therapists will take a dual diagnosis approach simultaneously addressing the addiction and its underlying cause to ensure long-term recovery.
Get Help at Genesis Recovery
There are many recovery centers that offer assistance to people who get high off poppy seeds, but Genesis Recovery takes an approach that sets us apart.
Genesis Recovery provides a holisticly therapeutic treatment experience. We use multi-faceted therapies and a variety of strategies to ensure you get the customized care you require. We focus on faith and sense of community to improve feelings of self-worth and purpose.
Reach Out Today
A poppy seed high can bring on a serious opioid addiction. Genesis Recovery will provide you with the tools you need to get past your dependency issues. Contact us to find out how to improve your quality of life.
Genesis Recovery is Licensed by the Department of Healthcare Services to provide Residential Treatment Services. License #370139AN Expiration 9/30/2024
