The poppy plant, Papaver somniferum, has a variety of ornamental, culinary, and pharmaceutical applications. Opium alkaloids, such as morphine, codeine, and thebaine, are harvested from its latex sap and used in the pharmaceutical industry to manufacture opioid medications. Poppy variants with large concentrations of thebaine in their latex are cultivated specifically for the pharmaceutical industry. Poppy seeds do not contain opium alkaloids, although their surface can be contaminated by latex depending on the harvesting process. Culinary or commercially available poppy seeds typically have low concentrations of opium alkaloids; however significant concentrations can be liberated when large quantities are soaked to make poppy seed tea. Consuming poppy seed tea can lead to opioid-related harm including dependence, overdose, and death. In 2022, there was a poisoning cluster when non-food grade poppy seeds entered the food supply in Australia resulting in at least 40 affected cases across the country. Thebaine poisoning leads to dose-dependent neuromuscular excitation similar to strychnine poisoning. Culinary poppy seeds can be processed through washing or heat treatment to reduce the concentration of opium alkaloids on their surface. There is currently no limit on opioid alkaloid concentrations for the commercial sale of poppy seeds for culinary use. A regulatory limit could reduce opioid-related harm due to poppy seed tea use.