Please choose a topic from our blog posts below or submit a question?

9 Panel Hair Test Needed for Poppy Seeds

Written By admin on April 28, 2018

Question:

Hi AMH,

I need to take a 9 panel hair test. Last week I took a 9 panel urine test as a requirement for my nursing license after getting into some trouble. My drug test came back positive for heroin. I am a recovering heroin addict but I haven’t used heroin in 4 months. A 9 panel hair test will help me dispute this. I know this may be a stretch, but I did eat a bagel that had poppy seeds for breakfast the morning of my urine test. Somewhere I read that the poppy seeds from those bagels could cause false positives for opioids. After taking my hair test do you have some kind of document I can show the judge to help defend my claim?

Raylene G, Country Club Hills, IL

Answer:

Hi Raylene,

I can certainly help you with your question on a 9 panel hair test. This is actually a really good/common question. Poppy seeds are commonly used in bakery products and as toppings for desserts. 9 Panel Hair Test Poppy Seeds Poppy seeds come from the seed pods of opium plants which means they can be contaminated with morphine from the opium milk. The concentration levels from the seeds themselves are very low. An individual would not typically feel the effects of the morphine.

Bad harvesting practices could increase the concentrations of morphine as well as other opium alkaloids like codeine. Unfortunately, this information will not help your claim. The 9 panel hair test uses GCMS technology that would be able to detect what specific opioid in your hair follicle. Heroin isn’t typically carried on poppy seeds. However, if its been 4 months since your last exposure a 3 month hair test may still work. I would recommend getting tested as soon as possible. Please call our office and we will be happy to assist.