When we talk about poppy seeds, the question of opium comes up. According to my research, high quality poppy seeds are harvested when the seed pods are dry. Opium is traditionally harvested when the seed pods are green. The seeds of other types of poppies are grown for flowers. I have enjoyed these in my flower gardens for several years. Poppy seeds can contain trace amounts of opiates, mostly due to residue from the sap. However, according to Christopher S. Baird, assistant professor of physics at West Texas A&M University, as quoted to HuffPost, the seeds do not “have a drug effect on humans that are eating typical amounts of poppy seeds.” However, they could show up in a drug test, so be careful when you eat them!