Korean Job Discussion Forums

[deanjcrawford]

Hi guys,

just wondered if there is anybody out there that has had this similar scenerio?

I'm currently on a visa run, but just been told by my school that i've tested positive for Opium on my medical? WTF???? I don't take drugs, at all, but f@cking opium?

They said they sent it up to Seoul too and has tested positive there. Can anyone explain to me how this happened, and if i retake the test will the same thing happan. I really don't get it!

[Illysook]

I too love lemon poppyseed muffins. Unfortunately, they contain enough opiate to make you test positive for it on one of these tests. You should get retested.

[Ramen]

Troll?

[deanjcrawford]

look at my profile and former posts. i am not a troll and this is really happening to me and i am stressing out over the thought of being deported for nothing.

[Mr. Peabody]

Check out this link.

http://www.snopes.com/medical/drugs/poppyseed.asp

[deanjcrawford]

I've been taking drowsy cold and flu medicine and i've been told that this could be the reason. They didn't even ask me at the hospital if i was on any prescription drugs in the last month. WHich i was, a course of anti biotics then cold and flu medicine.) I'm guessing the koreans won't listen to this though.

[Chokse]

If you are on any pain killers like Codeine, that too would show up as opium in your system.

[sallymonster]

This thread reminds me of that Seinfeld episode where Elaine keeps testing positive for opium because she likes to eat poppyseed muffins a lot. Her boss accuses her of being an addict in denial.

So you might want to quit the muffins for a little while, OP.

[ThingsComeAround]

[deanjcrawford]

Apparently it could be anything. I've taken prescription drugs and over the counter drugs before in the month so it could be anything. It could also be diabetes, kidney or liver infections.

[Fishead soup]

Where are the Mythbusters when we need them?

[imGosu]

Mythbusters actually already did this myth.

It is true that poppy seeds can give a positive opium result, I think even in small dosages (like 1 muffin).

[RangerMcGreggor]

Probably medicine. I was rejected from doing a medical test once because I was taking cold medicine and painkillers, and thought I would fail.

[decolyon]

Keep us updated on this OP, I'm curious to see if they let you retest or just ship you off.

I think Koreans (especially doctors) have a bit more sense than to think this guy is on opium. I mean, that's heroin. Heroin isn't like weed. You can be a normally functioning, hardworking, successful person and smoke a blunt a day (see me in college, lol.) But a person on opium is all strung out and rough looking. I doubt they'd even have the mental capacity to just keep up with the day-to-day rigors of living abroad.

Obviously try to explain that you're on meds now and you need a week or so to come off them and try again. Man, this is an awkward situation.

[northway]

Opium and heroin are not the same thing.