Poppy seeds are the edible nutritious seeds of the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum). The opium poppy is, of course, the source of opium as well as heroin, morphine, and codeine. Although the seeds themselves do not contain opiates, they are frequently contaminated with morphine residue during harvesting. Processing removes much of this residue, but it’s not uncommon for trace amounts to remain. Thus, depending on how many poppy seeds were eaten, their country of origin, and the test used, consumption of poppy seeds can indeed cause a urine drug test to register positive for opiates. There are numerous anecdotes of a single poppy-seed-encrusted bagel being enough to cause someone to fail a drug test, and convicts on parole are often forbidden from eating poppy seeds altogether. However, there is obviously a huge difference in the amount of opiates found in a poppy-seed eater and a person abusing narcotics, and the threshold for the test has been increased in many places to avoid this detrimental conflation. It is known that poppy seeds can be detected in urine up to 48 hours after consumption and may persist even longer. If you are expecting a drug test, it is best to avoid poppy seeds for at least several days beforehand.