Poppy Pods

Poppy tea is a narcotic analgesic tea which is brewed from the dried parts of the Papaver somniferum plant. It has been consumed as long as the poppy has been cultivated for its psychoactive effects. more...

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Depictions both in Asian literature as well as in Western literature (such as in opium dens) abound. In some locales, preparation of tea may be preferred to opium as the latex of the plant (itself the primary component of opium) is illegal.

Poppy tea contains two groups of alkaloids: phenanthrenes (including morphine and codeine) and benzylisoquinolines (including papaverine). Of these, morphine is the most prevalent comprising 8%-14% of the total. Its effects derive from the fact that it binds to and activates mu opioid receptors in the brain, spinal cord, stomach and intestine.

Preparation

Tea may be prepared from either the seed pods or the seeds themselves. Dried poppy pods are first prepared such that they have a high surface area for efficient extraction to be possible. When reduced to small pieces, for example in a food blender, they form what is known as poppy straw. Poppy straw is steeped in hot but not boiling water, which has been slightly acidified. Commonly, vinegar or citric acid is used for the acidification. After steeping for a few minutes, the mixture is strained and the brown liquid is set aside for consumption.

Consumption

The tea is drunk and its effects begin after about 30 minutes, lasting up to 8 hours. It is intensely bitter and the flavour may be improved by adding lemon juice, coffee, honey etc. Grapefruit juice may also inhibit liver enzyme activation, thus increasing the strength and duration of the opiate effects.

For convenience of consumption, the tea can be evaporated over a very low heat to make a thick, concentrated liquid or a completely dry powder. Some users recommend putting this material into gel caps to allow for dosage to be measured more carefully.

Although oral administration is the most common, dried poppy tea can also be snorted or smoked. However, many users report unpleasant side effects from these methods because of the non-active and potentially irritating substances, which are present in addition to the alkaloids. Dried poppy tea is not the same as opium, as the former is made from the whole plant, whilst the latter is made from exuded latex alone. Some users bypass the tea altogether and simply add poppy straw to a food such as yogurt. This method is fairly effective at masking the taste, but may lead to more gastric discomfort than consuming tea or dried tea.

Effects

Effects vary widely depending on dosage (amount of poppy straw used, alkaloid content of poppies and the quality of extraction), on individual sensitivity and on any opiate tolerance which has built up. The effects are likened to oxycodone or codeine and can last for up to 8 hours.

Read more at Wikipedia.org