Health Dangers of unwashed poppy seeds draw attention of lawmakers Published: Oct. 12, 2024, 2:15 p.m.

It sounds like a joke: poppy seeds infused with opioids. Indeed, it was a plotline on the sitcom “Seinfeld.” But for some it has been a tragedy. People have died after drinking tea brewed from ...

Rutledge said she issued a consumer alert in May warning of the dangers of unwashed poppy seeds after hearing the story of Steve and Betty Hacala, whose son Stephen died from morphine intoxication ...

Poppy seed tea is especially risky because the quantities of opiates in a bag of unwashed poppy seeds can vary wildly from batch to batch, making safe and consistent dosing nearly impossible.

Steve Hacala said their research has shown them that unwashed poppy seeds can have an opium latex that's activated during a tea brewing process. A lethal dose of morphine is about 200 milligrams.

Apr. 13—ASHEVILLE — Daniel Allen Childers, 34, of Asheville, was sentenced to 27 months in prison followed by a year of supervised release, for a drug offense involving "unwashed" poppy seeds ...

Poppy seeds — a staple on bagels and in pastries — are at the center of a stunning public health scare that has already cost lives, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed on ...

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (FOX Carolina) - The U.S. Attorney’s Office said a man from Asheville was sentenced to prison for a drug offense involving “unwashed” poppy seeds. According to court ...

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — A North Carolina man who sold "unwashed" flower seeds was sentenced Thursday after admitting he knew his customers were going to use the seeds illegally, officials said. Lia ...

But unwashed, or unprocessed, seeds are widely available through online sources. The Drug Enforcement Administration warned in 2019 about the dangers of unwashed poppy seeds.

Some poppy seeds may contain high levels of opiates like morphine, which can be deadly. Stephen Hacala Jr. was just 24 when he died in 2016 at his Arkansas home.

Most commercially available poppy seeds — like those you'd find in the spice aisle in a grocery store — are processed in a way that removes that opiate residue. However, unwashed or poorly ...