In a 2023 poll, customers of Trader Joe’s listed “Everything But the Bagel” seasoning as one of their favorite products, and people have noted that worldwide. However, the seasoning is illegal in South Korea due to its poppy seed content, which is classified as a narcotic substance under the country’s strict drug laws. Travelers have recently reported seeing warnings at Seoul’s Incheon Airport prohibiting the seasoning from entering the country.
Recently, a blogger on the Korean website Naver posted about their experience bringing 20 bottles of Trader Joe’s seasoning from the US to South Korea. She had to speak with airport officials to explain why she had them. Ultimately, “I gave up the seasoning bottles and then I was let go,” she concluded.
Although poppy seeds don’t contain opiates, they are still banned due to their association with drugs like heroin. Other countries, such as Singapore, also restrict poppy seeds. Experts say it would be all but impossible to eat enough poppy seeds to get high.
Source: CNN
