# Poppy seeds...



## Saffiechic83

I'm a huge Lemon and Poppyseed Muffin lover. However recently my boss mentioned to me that we are not allowed to use poppyseeds in the hotel (I work for the Exec Chef). He mentioned that we had to take off from the bakery and pastry list all items that had Poppyseeds in them. 

I decided to google it and came up with some articles (rather old) that had people being arrested in Dubai for either eating or using Poppyseeds or sometimes just having poppyseeds on their clothes from eating a piece of bread containing poppyseeds.

I visited a famous bakery in Dubai not long after that and they were selling Lemon and Poppyseed muffins. When I asked them if they knew it was illegal, the chef said they weren't told otherwise.

My question is: what is the story with Poppy Seeds in the UAE? :confused2:


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## jander13

i heard some ridiculous stuff like people being arrested in dubai for having poppy seeds on their clothing from eating poppy seed buns in other countries prior to flying.


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## dizzyizzy

Poppy seeds can be pressed to extract the opiates in them to make some very potent drugs apparently  that's why they are illegal to bring, however I do not know if they are illegal to buy in the UAE, alone or with pastry. For example, I know that Melatonin tablets (dietary supplement used for jetlag) are illegal to bring, but not illegal to buy (sold over the counter here). As for the logic behind this, don't ask me, I don't get it either!!  

And yes, people have been jailed (at least one of them!) for having poppy seeds on their clothes. From a roll they consumed on Heathrow prior to boarding their flight to Dubai apparently. So unfortunate for them really. I remember before I left Mexico I was so freaked out about this that I washed all my clothes over and over and got new suitcases as I was afraid they might have picked up minuscule particles of who knows what at my friend's places, clubs, etc. Not fun. But better be safe than sorry. However, I totally forgot I had half sleeping tablet on my jeans' pocket! That could have ended me up in jail


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## stewart

I find this both interesting and amusing.
I love poppy seeds and just take them as a normal part of life with bread.
I was under the impression there were no opiates in the seed itself, so crushing them would be of no use.
The opiates are obtained from the resin of the flower.
Well this is what I thought.


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## Bbay2Oz

If you're caught, it is jail and deportation. Not worth the risk!


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## jander13

> As for the logic behind this, don't ask me, I don't get it either!!


man that's exactly how i feel when i look at dubai while driving around!



> I remember before I left Mexico I was so freaked out about this that I washed all my clothes over and over and got new suitcases as I was afraid they might have picked up minuscule particles of who knows what at my friend's places, clubs, etc. Not fun. But better be safe than sorry. However, I totally forgot I had half sleeping tablet on my jeans' pocket! That could have ended me up in jail


whenever i am leaving turkey i make sure everything is washed and check under all my shoes, and the last time i came in here a cop stopped me right as i was exiting the airport and asked me if i have anything illegal on me, i was like uh no? then they said "ok you may go then" was so weird! did freak me out a bit though


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## Guest

Because of course anyone who did have anything illegal on them would answer yes to that question


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## stewart

nola said:


> Because of course anyone who did have anything illegal on them would answer yes to that question


of course :clap2:


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## stewart

My thoughts were very wrong on the dreaded poppy seed, found this on the net.

Q: You mean I could get high eating poppy seed rolls? 

A: No, goofball, I said they might make you flunk a drug test. The amount of morphine and codeine in poppy seeds varies enormously. One study found that Dutch, Czech, and Turkish poppy seed contained minimal opiates, Australian seed was up there, and Spanish seed sounded like it should be sold by creepy-looking guys on street corners. But, while test volunteers who ate poppy seed products sometimes flunked urine tests, nobody really got what you could call stoned. (Possible exception: one volunteer who ate 23 grams of seeds was accused of "giggling and acting silly.") You're limited by the fact that the poppy seeds are usually contained in food--you get full long before you get high.


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## Guest

"Excuse me sir. Are you carrying anything illegal with you?"

"Yes, I have a kilo of poppy seeds in my carry-on bag."

"I'm afraid we'll have to take you off to jail."

"Oh, all right, then."


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## dizzyizzy

nola said:


> "Excuse me sir. Are you carrying anything illegal with you?"
> 
> "Yes, I have a kilo of poppy seeds in my carry-on bag."
> 
> "I'm afraid we'll have to take you off to jail."
> 
> "Oh, all right, then."


LOL LOL LOL

And off he went "giggling and acting silly" (I giggle and act silly all the time, must be my breakfast rolls?)


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## Guest

dizzyizzy said:


> LOL LOL LOL
> 
> And off he went "giggling and acting silly" (I giggle and act silly all the time, must be my breakfast rolls?)


Must be - it can't be the poppy seeds


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## Saffiechic83

nola said:


> "Excuse me sir. Are you carrying anything illegal with you?"
> 
> "Yes, I have a kilo of poppy seeds in my carry-on bag."
> 
> "I'm afraid we'll have to take you off to jail."
> 
> "Oh, all right, then."




hahaha - this one is funny.
boss said there's an official memo out from the government on this subject...so i guess the next time mum makes lemon & poppyseed muffins when I visit home, I ain't having them...dang it!


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## jander13

hahaha, well i did give up on seeking logic behind things i witness in the U.A.E a month into the experience!


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## Andy Capp

Bbay2Oz said:


> If you're caught, it is jail and deportation. Not worth the risk!


Usual scaremongering from people who have absolutely no idea about the UAE or it's rules.


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## dizzyizzy

but andy, the poppy seed roll story is true an there are others too. why u saying is scaremongering? :confused2:


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## Andy Capp

It's taken out of context, is it another urban myth? Do you really believe that the police will stop and arrest you on the streets for consumption of a bagel with seeds?

Comeon diz, you know that's not going to happen.


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## Elphaba

The story of the chap being arrested on entry is true, but I wonder if there was something more to it.

You can buy poppy seeds here and they aren't illegal, but it's one of those grey areas. Same as many drugs on the banned list are available on prescription.

The little black seeds that we eat cannot be used for making opium as this is extracted when the pods are still green. It is scaremongering and there is no reason why they cannot be used here. Just don't bring them in with you as some customs people are rather stupid and don't know the differnce.

Simple really, when you separate the myths from the facts.

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## dizzyizzy

Well the fact is the guy was stopped and spent jail time for having poppy seeds on his clothes. Another dude for melatonin. Yes they had very bad luck but better be safe than sorry!! I don't see why people planning to come here should not be warned and decidecif the want to take the risk or not...


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## Elphaba

As I said - don't bring them in, although heaven knows why you would want to, as you can buy them here.

Stick to the rules, no matter how contradictory, and all will be fine. Simple,

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## Elphaba

Everything you ever wanted to know about poppy seeds.

Poppy seed - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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