LITTLE ROCK — The state of Arkansas is asking online retailers to remove "unwashed" poppy seeds from their product selections after an Arkansas man died from morphine intoxication as a result of consuming tea made from the unwashed seeds.
In a letter to online retailers such as Amazon, Ebay and Etsy, Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge warned of the dangers of the unwashed poppy seeds, which have been found to contain significant amounts of morphine, codeine and thebaine.
“Although washed poppy seeds are approved for consumption for use such as baking ingredients, unwashed poppy seeds can contain substantial amounts of morphine, codeine and thebaine, which are harmful Schedule II controlled substances," Rutledge said in a statement.
Rutledge is asking the online retailers to remove the unwashed poppy seeds from their online catalogs and affiliated stores. Walmart already has removed the seeds from their shelves, according to Rutledge's office.