Poppy tea

Dried poppy seed pods and stems (plate), and seeds (bowl)

Poppy tea is any herbal tea infusion brewed from poppy straw or seeds of several species of poppy. The species most commonly used for this purpose is Papaver somniferum, which produces opium as a natural defense against predators. In the live flower, opium is released when the surface of the bulb, called the seed pod, is scratched. For the purpose of the tea, dried pods are more commonly used than the pods of the live flower. The walls of the dried pods contain opiate alkaloids, primarily consisting of morphine.

The tea is consumed for its narcotic effect, and in small amounts for analgesic, anti-diarrheal, and sedative effects.[1] Use of such preparations originated in parts of Central and Eastern Europe, the Levant and Near East, and Central and South Central Asia millennia ago. Small amounts can be used for pain and diarrhoea in animals and kennel cough; most birds are small enough to simply feed them poppy seeds for digestive problems.

This tea is depicted both in Asian literature and Western literature, and is depicted as being available in opium dens.[2][3]

Legality

Netherlands

In the Netherlands, all parts of Papaver somniferum after harvesting (except for the seeds) are illegal by law, as they are List I drugs of the Opium Law. Because of use for decorative purposes, the trade in, and possession of dried Papaver somniferum is not actively prosecuted. Trade in, or possession of dried Papaver somniferum with the intention of drug use can be prosecuted. The dried seed pod of Papaver somniferum is easily obtainable as it is commonly available for decorative use. Many varieties, strains, and cultivars of Papaver somniferum are in existence, and the alkaloid content can vary significantly.[4]

United States

In the United States it is legal to purchase poppy seeds but all other parts of the plant are considered a schedule II controlled substance under the federal Controlled Substance Act of 1970. The Opium Poppy Exclusion Act of 1942 bans growing of the poppy in many cases but is generally not a problem for gardeners as the plant is widely grown for the flowers and for seeds for replanting and cooking, and for much of US history poppies were a significant cash crop, with the government especially pushing for farmers to grow more poppies for medicinal use during wars up to World War I.[5]

Canada

The import and sale of opium poppy seeds is legal in Canada.[6] Canadian authorities have noted the presence of dode or doda in the South Asian community, a traditional form of poppy tea. Crackdowns on this traditional preparation in the late 2000s led to a number of arrests in Canada.[7][8][9][10][11]

Chemical composition

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.

Dried Papaver somniferum capsules and stems will, if harvested and dried by the usual protocol, contain significantly lower quantities of thebaine than opium made from latex as well as somewhat more codeine. When ingested, thebaine causes nausea, vomiting, and myoclonus. Thebaine is an important precursor for manufacture of pharmaceuticals, and is more concentrated in the roots of Papaver somniferum than elsewhere. Other species of poppies, numbering in the hundreds, do not contain morphine or codeine in useful amounts, but may contain non-narcotic alkaloids like protopine, sanguinarine or berberine.

Side effects and tolerance

Side effects increase with dosage and include drowsiness, mild stomach ache, lethargy, urinary retention, bradypnea, constipation, and nausea. Nausea can be attributed to the presence of noscapine and is more common in first-time or inexperienced users. At high doses, the side effects are dangerous and can cause death through respiratory arrest or inhalation of vomit. Constipation often results from use (as with any opiate).

Additionally, frequent use results in high tolerance and dependence. Chemical dependency builds in relation to the frequency of use, dosage, age, sex, weight, and medical condition. Once chemical dependency has developed, abrupt cessation of use will cause withdrawal; symptoms include leg and abdominal cramps, mydriasis, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, insomnia, cravings, lethargy, and anxiety. Symptoms of withdrawal usually fade after 4–10 days but cravings and psychological dependence may continue for longer, in some cases up to a year. Treatment methods for addiction are generally the same for any opioid.

Deaths

In 2004, a fatal overdose of poppy seed tea was reported on a website written by the victim's parents, who wrote that a sample of poppy seed tea was sent for laboratory analysis. This victim is reported to have used 3.5 pounds (1.6 kg)of poppy seeds in his tea preparation as on several previous occasions. The concentration of morphine in the tea was shown to be around 250 μg/ml and the amount of morphine which had been consumed by the individual was around 500 mg.[12] This is about five times the lethal oral dose (without tolerance to opioids).[13] The coroner's report of the victim, also listed on the website, found that he had also consumed diphenhydramine, marijuana, and the benzodiazepine alprazolam (Xanax) around the same time that he consumed the tea. ABC News reported on the incident in January 2008.[14]

On May 19, 2012, a 19-year-old from Nova Scotia died after drinking the tea from a poppy seed pod he purchased on the Internet.[15] In November 2012, a Tasmanian youth died after drinking tea brewed from seed heads, and a 50-year-old Tasmanian man died in similar circumstances in February 2011.[16]

A 2013 inquest found that a 27-year-old British man died from the effects of drinking a pint of poppy tea.[17] The concentration is not specified.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.med.unc.edu/ibs/files/educational-gi-handouts/Treatments%20for%20Diarrhea.pdf
  2. ↑ "Restyling the Secret of the Opium Den".
  3. ↑ "Photo Gallery". Opium Museum. Retrieved 2013-09-01.
  4. ↑ "Bureau voor Medicinale Cannabis | Pagina niet gevonden" (PDF). Cannabisbureau.nl. 2013-03-19. Retrieved 2013-09-01.
  5. ↑ "Controlled Substances Act". Fda.gov. Retrieved 2013-09-01.
  6. ↑ "Controlled Drugs and Substances Act(S.C. 1996, c.19)". Government of Canada. Retrieved 2015-02-08.
  7. ↑ "Ontario man arrested for 'doda' poppy preparation". Dosenation.com. Retrieved 2013-09-01.
  8. ↑ "Police warn about street drug called Doda | Toronto Star". Thestar.com. 2009-01-08. Retrieved 2013-09-01.
  9. ↑ Popular opium-like drug seized in B.C.
  10. ↑ Calgary police make first seizure of emerging drug made of crushed poppies
  11. ↑ Doda drug bust in Peel Region
  12. ↑ Case report of a death due to a documented overdose of poppy seed tea in a 17-year-old male
  13. ↑ Ask Erowid : ID 3107 : Do poppy seeds really contain active levels of opiates?
  14. ↑ ABC News report on poppy seed use and abuse, January 16, 2008
  15. ↑ CBC News - Nova Scotia family warns of poppy seed tea dangers
  16. ↑ unknown (29 November 2012). "Teen dies after drinking poppy tea". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  17. ↑ Webb, Sam (31 December 2013). "DJ died after drinking a PINT of deadly 'poppy tea' he made using a recipe he found online". DailyMail.co.uk. Mail Online - Associated Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved 31 December 2013.

External links

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