Poppy seeds do not cause addiction or give a 'high" although its chemical structure is similar to heroin and morphine, according to an expert.
National Poisons Centre director, Assoc. Prof Razak Lajis said the content of kas-kas or poppy seeds was similar to that of heroin or morphine as all of them were derived from the same plant.
"Poppy seeds are from the same plant that heroine or morphine is derived from. So, the chemical structure itself is almost similar.
"As far as I know, there were no cases reported of people getting 'high' by consuming kas-kas," he told Bernama.
READ: No plans to ban poppy seeds - Health Ministry
However, he stressed that a thorough scientific study needed to be conducted to categorise whether poppy seeds are a drug or not.
He was commenting on the statement by City Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department chief SAC Wan Abdullah Ishak that police had detected cases where poppy seeds were added to cakes, allegedly to boost sales.
Razak said the urine test performed on a person who has consumed poppy seeds may be positive for drugs but the result may change to negative if an in-depth test was done in a laboratory.
Meanwhile, Muslim Restaurant Operators Association (PRESMA) president Noorul Hassan Saul Hameed said poppy seeds was used in a minimal quantity in all dishes as a food enhancer similar to Ajinomoto and it would not cause addiction.
"We do not use it in a big quantity or directly. It is used as a food enhancer and mixed with other spices. Like durian, when we consume it once we will like it very much, but do not say durian is a drug," he said.
However, he said PRESMA will abide and accept any final decision made by the government on this issue.
The usage of poppy seeds is not a new issue as it was brought up in 2005 when Jasin MP Datuk Mohd Said Yusof then claimed mamak restaurants use poppy seeds in their cooking to get customers addicted to it.
Bernama
Thu Apr 14 2016
Razak says the urine test performed on a person who has consumed poppy seeds may be positive for drugs but the result may change to negative if an in-depth test was done in a laboratory.
Nahas helikopter: JKM Perak beri bantuan kaunseling kepada keluarga mangsa
Salbiah berkata pihak JKM telah melawat tiga keluarga mangsa dari Perak iaitu di Selama, Lekir dan Sitiawan.
[LAPOR LANGSUNG] Gaza Freedom Flotilla: Misi melalui perairan antarabangsa, bukan Israel
Peguam, Huwaida Arraf memaklumkan misi ini akan melalui perairan antarabangsa sebelum memasuki kawasan perairan Palestin.
Freedom Flotilla to Gaza: Cucu Nelson Mandela antara peserta misi bantuan
Penyertaannya dalam misi ini bagi sama-sama menyokong misi memecah sekatan rejim Israel bagi membolehkan penghantaran bantuan ke Gaza.
Lapan mangsa tragedi helikopter TLDM terhempas selamat dikebumi
Tiada kata-kata yang dapat menggambarkan kesedihan ahli keluarga dan waris yang mengiringi perjalanan terakhir mangsa.
[LAPOR LANGSUNG] Nahas helikopter Lumut: Lapan mangsa selamat dikebumi
Suasana sedih dan pilu menyelubungi majlis pengebumian lapan daripada 10 jenazah mangsa nahas berkenaan.
Nahas helikopter: Pulau Pinang sedia bantu keluarga Muhammad Firdaus
Chow tidak memperinci bentuk bantuan yang bakal disalur namun memberitahu akan melawat keluarga Allahyarham di Pantai Jerejak hari ini.
Hujan sambut ketibaan jasad Joanna di kampung halaman
Jasad mendiang yang tiba dalam suasana rintis syahdu hujan disambut dengan istiadat ketenteraan oleh 27 pegawai dan 80 lain-lain anggota.
Amalan pemakanan tidak sihat, kurang aktiviti fizikal punca utama obesiti - Dr Dzulkefly
Amalan pemakanan yang tidak sihat dan kurang aktiviti fizikal merupakan komponen utama yang menyumbang kepada masalah obesiti, kata Menteri Kesihatan Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
Tangisan anak bongsu iringi pengebumian Komander Amir
Jenazah Allahyarham selamat dikebumikan di kampung halamannya itu tepat pada jam 12.30 malam.
Tingkat jumlah pelajar antarabangsa: KPT rangka langkah permudah prosedur imigresen
Kementerian Pendidikan Tinggi (KPT) sedang merangka langkah untuk mempermudahkan prosedur imigresen dalam usaha meningkatkan bilangan pelajar antarabangsa ke Malaysia.
Polis marin patah cubaan seludup keluar barangan pertanian, rempah ratus
Bot dagang yang dinaiki empat kru warga Indonesia berusia antara 31 dan 55 tahun itu ditahan dalam operasi Ops Landai kira-kira pukul 5.00 petang selepas didapati belayar dalam keadaan mencurigakan.
Tiada tindakan polis terhadap penggunaan kas-kas
Ketua Polis Negara, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar berkata, pengambilan rempah itu dalam makanan adalah sedikit dan tidak memudaratkan kesihatan.
Tiada cadangan mengharamkan kas-kas - Subramaniam
Kementerian Kesihatan belum bercadang mengharamkan penggunaan kas-kas sebagai rempah dalam masakan.