The History of the Opium Poppy

The History of the Opium Poppy

The annual herb Opium Poppy, Papaver somniferum, is indigenous from Southeast Asia to Eastern Europe. Although used for centuries as a medicinal anesthetic, Opium’s abuse became inevitable. Opium was single-handedly responsible for centuries of addiction in China and Britain, and is now strictly controlled in America by the FDA, and by international agreements.
The Opium Poppy has been used in the Chinese culture dating back to the fourth century A.D. The Chinese first used Opium for its anesthetic properties during surgery and for chronic pain. The plant was rarely used until the seventeenth century, when the Dutch introduced tobacco in China. Opium’s recreational u...