[ad_1]
PITTSBURGH – When we think of poppy seeds, we usually think of muffins or bagels, but some poppy seeds sold online or in stores may have morphine levels higher than those of a lethal dose of heroin .
Linda Golden's son, Todd, died in his sleep in March. It seemed that an overdose of opioids would be to blame, but no heroin or pill was found in Georgia 's man house, Dahlonega.
You can now customize your WPXI News application to receive alerts on the latest information from 11 Investigates. Click here to find out how.
"I'm just waiting to pick up the phone and talk to him and that will not happen," Golden said.
The investigators found bags and sacks of poppy seeds at home, as well as a bottle of water filled with seeds in a liquid.
CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A BOARD TO CANAL 11 NEWS or call our tipline and leave us a message: (412) 237-4963.
You can buy contaminated poppy seeds so-called easily and legally online or in health food stores. There are also online recipes for poppy seed tea, boasting to help him sleep or relieve pain. Labels use words such as raw and unwashed. According to scientists, seeds can have the same dangerous effects as heroin or morphine.
Steve Hacala's son, Steven, died of an overdose of poppy seeds in 2016.
FASHION NOW:
"If we had not asked the question about the origin of morphine, we would never have known about it," Hacala said.
The idea that poppy seeds can be dangerous has generally been used to laugh, as in an episode of Seinfeld, according to safety groups, 12 deaths have been linked to poppy seed tea. They believe that the numbers could be much higher as this looks like any other overdose of opioids unless a special test is performed.
Scientists from the Sam Houston State University tested the morphine levels of 22 different brands of poppy seeds readily available in their lab and discovered that a small cup of tea could contain lethal levels of morphine. The laboratory tests only measure doses measured with 4 tablespoons of seeds, which is much lower than most tea recipes recommend.
Senator John Boozman said that Congress should get involved. Poppy plants are listed as controlled substances and are illegal, but seeds are not. Boozman's proposed bill would ban unwashed poppy seeds
"It's a very, very dangerous situation and I think the federal government has a role to play," said Senator Boozman.
Last year, the FDA sent a letter to manufacturers of a poppy seed product requiring it to stop claiming medicinal properties, but the product is still sold. The same brand found in the room where Todd Shirley died is also still for sale. Linda Golden says she looks at the website almost every day, horrified to see the product still available for purchase.
© 2019 Cox Media Group.
[ad_2]
Source link