Julie Kemp Pick
On rare occasions you meet someone who is a truly good soul, incapable of harboring an impure thought about anyone. This hard working, devoted family man, has worked for the government for over thirty years. When his family said their goodbyes at the airport, they had no idea what lie in store on a routine trip to Washington DC.
The itinerary included a battery of drug tests in keeping with governmental policy. Afterward, the other employees invited my friend to join them for a night on the town, but he declined preferring to check in with his family back home, and relax with a good book in his hotel room.
The next day, his boss informed him that he tested positive for opium. Up until this point, his idea of living dangerously was buying in bulk. Even his aunt thought he was a force to be reckoned with when he brought a carton of paper towels over to her apartment. She exclaimed, "He has a special membership to an exclusive club that lets him buy large quantities of anything he wants. He must be important!"
At first, this Costco card carrier couldn't possibly figure out why they found traces of opium in his system. After much brainstorming, the culprit was found. The day before the test he had visited his favorite bakery where he consumed half of a poppy seed cake. The "sleep- bringing poppy" plant is where morphine and codeine, as well as other opiates are derived.
Recently in the news, a Pennsylvania woman was forced to give up her baby when traces of opium were found in her system from poppy seed salad dressing. She's suing the hospital who administered the blood test shortly after she had given birth. As a result, her infant son was placed in foster care with different families until he was 75 days old.
Another incident was also reported from the same hospital when a new mother had eaten an all season bagel with poppy seeds the day before she had given birth. These poor women and their families had to endure so much pain and suffering at a time when they should have been experiencing pure joy.
As for my friend, he's still the same kind- hearted, generous soul who walks the straight and narrow. But when he turns the corner, he stops off at his favorite bakery for poppy seed cake. Though he's mindful to floss afterward, just in case.
You just never know do you? Fortunately poppy seed is not one of my favourites but it is good to know that if I ever need a buzz all I have to do is eat a poppy seed bagel.
ReplyDeleteYou learn something new everyday~HA!~
ReplyDeleteThat is outrageous. I've heard of similar scenarios. It does make me want to run out for a poppy seed muffin, though.
ReplyDeletexoRobyn
@mbj/Delores - Try not to become addicted to them! I wouldn't want to have to stage a virtual intervention!
ReplyDelete@Lou - I am known for my educational prose!
@Robyn - The mini muffins are the best, especially when you alternate between poppy seed and chocolate chip! Julie
Holy smokes! Like Lou said, something new every day.... Thanks for sharing this!
ReplyDeleteWow, It is so ridiculous. I feel bad for your friend but am gutted by the story of the mom not having her newborn for 75 days. I wonder when poppy seeds will become a controlled substance.
ReplyDelete@Bryce - Thank you and I'm glad to see you put a nice picture up! Just wondering, is it you or "the poet?"
ReplyDelete@Rhonda - I agree that this whole thing is absurd. If they ever list chocolate as a controlled substance, I'm moving to NZ with you! Julie
Wow, I love poppy seed cake. I never even thought about it. Crazy!
ReplyDeleteWhat a horrible misunderstanding. I hope he didn't lose his job. Was he cleared or did the failed drug test cause him problems?
ReplyDelete@Elaine - You can still enjoy your cake. Just avoid operating heavy machinery afterward.
ReplyDelete@Angela - Fortunately, his story had a happy ending. I wouldn't have made light of it had he suffered serious consequences. Julie
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI know I shouldn't laugh, it's a personal tragedy in all the cases mentioned, but I grow opium poppies in my garden and they're sold in garden centres. Yet, grow a cannabis plant and it's illegal! The law's an arse! ;)
best
F
@Francine - No wonder you have such an uninhibited writing style complete with creative characters blooming from your bountiful garden! I agree that it doesn't make sense how one plant is considered worse than the other. Thanks Francine!
ReplyDeleteHi, I just wanted to stop by and thank you for commenting over at Talli's blog when I guest posted.
ReplyDeleteNice and crazy post! Never knew that about poppy seeds!
Wow, who knew? You really have to be careful of what's in your food!
ReplyDelete@Lisa - Confessions of a Call Center Gal sounds like a great read! Thanks for following me and good luck with your novel!
ReplyDelete@Talli - Not too careful though, or we'll all go crazy! Thanks Talli!
Drug testing is an evil and frightening intrusion on our privacy. Who knows what else they are testing for when they inspect our bodily fluids. TSA screenings are the same thing. The government is starting to watch everything we do. Soon they will be monitoring what and how much we are allowed to eat.
ReplyDeleteLee
Tossing It Out
Oh my gosh, what a story. I had heard this about poppy seed muffins, but I wasn't sure if it really happened. The stories about the mothers are so heartbreaking! I'm glad your friend was able to get to the bottom of his situation before too much trouble occurred. You learn something new every day, no doubt!
ReplyDelete@Lee - I certainly wouldn't want to have that job; although haven't they already started doing that on some reality shows?
ReplyDelete@Julie - Our friend was very fortunate due to his exemplary lifestyle. I don't know all the details in the other stories, but I still think the consequences were too extreme. Julie
I knew this! Seinfeld!
ReplyDeleteOn a regular basis, David eats popyseed cake. Hmmm. . . this gives me an idea! lrk
ReplyDelete@Anon - I don't remember a poppy seed cake episode on Seinfeld. Is this a case of life imitating art? My older son and brother are Seinfeld experts, so I will consult them.
ReplyDelete@lrk - Start with a few slices at night. Then we'll gradually increase the portions...
Mmm, I'll have to try the mini muffins with chocolate chips.
ReplyDeleteLoved your comment about my date mapping out his cartoon tattoos. I should've run away then.
xoRobyn
I've heard of this before and it makes me wonder why they don't ask you if you've consumed poppy seed products before a test. I had to take a drug test for a job and they did, in fact, have a question on there asking if any meds had been taken, or poppy seed products consumed. The drug test already made me feel paranoid (I can't help it. Despite knowing for a fact I was clean, I had some bizarre paranoia that my test would come back positive--knee jerk guilt or something). This also makes me wonder if it is routine to do drug screens on new mothers?? I suppose I was in such a baby fog I wouldn't have noticed unless they'd taken the babies away. Terrible!
ReplyDeleteI don't understand. We all eat stuff with poppy seeds in... or at least we did. There may be a few fewer of us eating it now.
ReplyDelete@Robyn - My favorite was the guy who was a "Jury Duty Stunt Double," from last week. Now he had potential!
ReplyDelete@Shannon - Sorry you had to go through such an ordeal. I think it's common practice for a hospital in PA to do drug screening, but I'm not sure if it's done regularly on all new mothers or if it's only for those who have had drug problems in the past. More of the details will be disclosed during the trial.
@Rosalind - Just don't eat them the night before a big drug test and you'll be fine. If you find yourself waking up with the characters in The Wizard of Oz in the middle of a poppy field, then you'll know you need to scale back. Julie