A man bought seeds online to brew tea for his chronic pain. It led to an opioid addiction. - msnNOW

A man who was originally prescribed opioids for pain relief turned to poppy seed tea as a natural alternative, only to find the brew was harder to quit, doctors wrote in the American Journal of Case Reports.

The 65-year-old had a history of chronic pain in his shoulders and lower back due to a degenerative joint disease, which led his doctor to prescribe opioid painkillers.

Seeking an alternative form of pain relief, the man ordered poppy seeds online with the intention of brewing tea.

He also feared he would not be considered for future surgery if using the tea, and his wife had expressed concern, so he sought professional help to end his dependence, according to the report.

The authors of the case report noted that the man did not show signs of a substance use disorder when he was taking prescribed opioids, but his use of poppy seed tea was what became problematic.

The authors wrote that the case serves as a reminder to physicians that unwashed poppy seeds are still available to online buyers and have a potential for misuse and addiction.