KUALA LUMPUR, April 17 — A toxicologist from Universiti Malaya said poppy seeds by themselves contain an insignificant amount of codeine, and is unlikely to be detected in a urine test unless the seeds were consumed in large amounts.
Instead, Professor Dr Mustafa Ali Mohd from the university’s pathology department, warned that poppy seeds, also known as “kas kas” in Malay, are only addictive when they are mixed together with other parts of the plant.
“Many parts of the poppy plant are addictive and can cause euphoria, but not the seeds. The seeds can be eaten.
“The problem comes when the husks of the pods and the twigs are added into the seeds. These contain much more codeine and other addictive components,” he was quoted as saying.
Dr Mustafa explained that while opium is made from coagulated latex of poppy pods, the pods, twigs and leaves contained codeine, morphine, thebaine, noscapine and scopolamine, all addictive drugs.
“Regulatory bodies should make sure that the seeds are clean and do not have other poppy plant components with them.
“Consumers too can take precaution by avoiding poppy seeds that are mixed with other parts of the plant,” he was quoted as saying.
City Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department chief Wan Abdullah Ishak recently said that those who consume food laden with poppy seeds could be jailed or fined.
The use of poppy seeds in food, however, has been cleared by Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar and the Health Ministry.
