Two cases of severe opiate toxicity after ingestion of poppy seed tea

Abstract

The opioid epidemic continues to grow as users expand into novel opioid agents, many of which can be purchased legally. Poppy seed tea is a popular opiate alternative, containing both morphine and codeine, and is available on the internet for legal purchase. Reports of serious toxicity and deaths from poppy seed consumption abound in the lay press and lay websites but are sparse in the medical literature. We report two cases of serious opiate toxicity following the consumption of poppy seed tea.