Opium poppy
Papaver somniferumSince the 1970s Türkiye has processed whole capsules instead of scoring them for raw opium, which largely stopped diversion to smuggling.
What is Opium poppy?
Opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) is a plant of the Papaveraceae family. Traditions that use it: Anatolia and the Mediterranean. Part used: seeds, capsules.
What is Opium poppy used for?
Traditional use: Grown around Afyonkarahisar for thousands of years. Scientific evidence: clinical. The capsule latex contains morphine and codeine.
Is Opium poppy safe?
Safety label: high risk. Capsules and latex are addictive and can stop breathing. Using the plant as a home remedy is deadly, especially for children. Legal status: Licensed in Türkiye.
Traditional use
Grown around Afyonkarahisar for thousands of years. The seeds go into poppy-seed buns and poppy paste. Capsules used to be boiled to put crying babies to sleep; this practice is deadly.
Hypnos, god of sleep, and Thanatos, god of death, were depicted with poppy capsules.
In nature
Mix-up risk
The red corn poppy (Papaver rhoeas) is a wild relative with no opium alkaloids. Opium poppy leaves are blue-green and clasp the stem.
Preparation
Only the seeds and seed oil are used as food.
What science says
The capsule latex contains morphine and codeine. Many modern painkillers still come from the poppy; Türkiye is one of the few countries licensed to grow it as a raw material.
Safety
Capsules and latex are addictive and can stop breathing. Using the plant as a home remedy is deadly, especially for children.
Drug interactions
| Medicine or substance | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Opioid painkillers, sedatives, sleeping pills, alcohol | The risk of stopped breathing and loss of consciousness multiplies; can be fatal. |
| Poppy seeds and drug tests | Seed-heavy foods can make urine tests positive for opiates. |
This list is not complete. If you take regular medication, ask your pharmacist or doctor before trying Opium poppy.
Legal status
Growing is allowed only with a TMO licence in permitted provinces. Seeds and food products are unrestricted.
Laws differ by country; check local rules before travelling with or buying any plant product.
Similar plants
Sources
- ResearchPoppy Seed Tea: A Short Review and Case Study
- ResearchThe origins and spread of the opium poppy revealed by genomics and seed morphometrics
- BookBaytop T. Türkiye’de Bitkiler ile Tedavi: Geçmişte ve Bugün. 2. baskı. İstanbul: Nobel Tıp Kitabevleri; 1999.
- Botanical recordKew Plants of the World Online: Papaver somniferum
- Titles of research sources are summarised in Turkish on the Turkish page; links open the original English publications.
Written by Edanaz Tınmazlar · Last reviewed: · Türkçe