Where and how are opium poppies grown?

[Guest guest]

According to Wikipedia:

" Australia, Turkey and India are the major producers of poppy for medicinal

purposes and poppy-based drugs, such as morphine or codeine. The USA has a

policy of sourcing 80% of its narcotic raw materials from the traditional

producers, India and Turkey. "

" The British government has given the go-ahead to the pharmaceutical company

Macfarlan (a Matthey company) to cultivate opium poppies in

England for medicinal reasons. This move is well-received by British farmers,

with a major opium poppy field based in Didcot, England. "

Opium poppies are grown outside in farms. There has been some controversy about

the US spraying poppy fields in Afghanistan. However Afghanistan is not set up

to licensed and enforce its licensing of poppy farms.

Most of the poppies sold in the US are not considered " opium poppies " . They do

not have high concentrations of opiates. The poppy seed used in baked goods

also lack high concentrations of opiates.

Poppies grow readily in most of the US. Opium Poppies are considered illegal

under the Controlled Substances Act if you cultivate them for drug usage. In

some states and regions, they are considered noxious weeds and you are required

to remove them from your property. In other places, they are just weeds.

Oriental Poppies, Corn Poppies, Moroccan Poppies, etc all are legal to grow in

the US.

> M wrote:

> That question about opium is really interesting. I know opium is imported, I

believe from the Middle East, but I don't know if it is done inside of a

greenhouse or outside in a field. I'd love to know the answer, if anyone knows.