1.
OPIUM POPPY PLANT
SUBMITTED BY: SUBMITTED TO:
RAHUL PAL (FINAL YEAR, VIII SEM) Mrs. MAULSHREE B. DEOPA
DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACY
INVERTIS UNIVERSITY BAREILLY.

2.
INTRODUCTION
▪ The opium poppy, papaver somniferum is an annual plant. From a small seed, it grows
flowers and bears fruit (a “pod”) only once.
▪ Synonyms: Crude Opium; Raw Opium; Gum Opium; Afim; Post.
▪ Biological Source: - Opium is the air-dried milky latex obtained by incision from capsules of
Papaver Somniferum Linn. belonging to family Papaveraceae.
▪ Opium are Phenanthrene type Alkaloid which are consisting more important examples are
morphine and codeine. Opium is required to contain not less than 10% of morphine and not less
than 2.0% of codeine.
▪ The opium is an annual plant and can reach 1-5 meters (3-16 feet) tall. It has lobed or toothed
silver-green foliage and bear blue-purple or white flowers some 13cm (5 inches) wide.

3.
OPIUM POPPY LAWS
▪ The Poppy Control Act of 1942 was repealed in the 70’s, but it is still illegal to grow poppies from
which narcotics can be made.
▪ Cultivation of opium poppy plants is illegal and a federal crime. Even having dried opium poppy
seed pods or stalks on your property is a crime.
▪ There are plenty of other poppied that are legal to grow-
▪ Corn Poppy (Papaver Rhoeas): common poppy.
▪ Oriental Poppy (Papaver Orientale): which grow in the garden.
▪ Iceland Poppy (Papaver Nudicale), California Poppy (Eschscholzia Colifornica).

4.
Papaver Somniferum
The Opium Plant.(fig.1)
▪ Opium is a highly addictive narcotic drug acquired in the dried
latex form the opium poppy (Papaver Somniferum) seed pod.
Heroin is derived from the morphine alkaloid found in opium.
▪ Synthetic or semisynthetic opium derivatives
include fentanyl, methadone, oxycodone and hydrocodone.
▪ Opium Tincture (Paregoric) is a prescription medication in the
opioid class, and is classified as a Schedule II or III narcotic.
▪ Opioids are the drugs, which bind to specific opioids receptor
present in our central nervous system and gastrointestinal tract.

5.
CONDITIONS OF CULTIVATION
▪ Climate: Climate is a highly important factor among the conditions of cultivation. The plant can
withstand temperatures as low as - 5°C for short periods.
▪ Soil: The plant does not need especially good soil and can grow on ground which is unsuitable for
most other crops; however, it thrives better in manured, crumbly and light soil, exposed to the sun and
protected from northern winds.
▪ Most of the cultivation is at less than 500 meters above sea-level.
▪ The Fruit: The fruit is a roundish or oval hollow capsule, 2.5 to 5 cm in diameter. On the upper
part of the fruit, there is a radiate sear, remains of stigma, usually with 10 to 14 sides.
▪ The Seed: The seeds are obtained from selected, well-developed capsules. Seeds vary greatly in
colour, from greyish white to light brown.

6.
HISTORY
▪ In 1800 control on opium supply and prices was brought and in 1805 Friedrich W. Seiturner
(German pharmacist) isolated and identified the chief chemical constituent of opium.
▪ In December 1914, Harrison Narcotics Act which called for control of each phase of the
preparation and distribution of medicinal opium, morphine, heroin, cocaine.
▪ The Federal Controlled Substances Act of 1970 is the redefined act of the Harrison Act.
▪ “Opium poppy”: means—
▪ (A) The plant of the species Papaver Somniferum L; and
▪ (B) The plant of any other species of Papaver from which opium or any phenanthrene alkaloid can
be extracted and which the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, declare to
be opium poppy for the purposes of this Act;

7.
AUTHORITIES AND OFFICERS
▪ Central Government under the provisions of this Act;
1. Co-ordination of actions by various officers, State Governments and other authorities under this
Act, or under any other law for the time being in force relating to the enforcement of the provisions of
this Act.
2. Obligations under the International Conventions.
3. Assistance to the concerned authorities in foreign countries and concerned international
organizations regarding prevention and suppression of illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and
psychotropic substances.
4. Identification, treatment, education, aftercare, rehabilitation and social re-interaction of addicts.
5. Such other matters for effective implementation of this Act and preventing and combating the abuse
of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and illicit traffic therein.

8.
Officers of Central Government
▪ Under the provisions of this Act, the Central Government may appoint Narcotic Commissioner
and such other officer as it thinks fit.
▪ Narcotic Commissioner himself or with the help of other officers shall perform the functions
relating to:
(i) The supervision of the cultivation of the opium poppy.
(ii) Production of opium.
(iii)Other functions as may be entrusted to him by the Central Government.
▪ The State Government may appoint such officers as deemed fit for the purposes of this Acts.

9.
Power of Central Government to Permit, Control, and
Regulate
i. The cultivation, or gathering of any portion of coca plant, production, sale, purchase, transport,
import inter-state, export inter-state, use or consumption of coca leaves.
ii. The cultivation of the opium poppy.
iii. The production and manufacture of opium, production of opium and production of poppy
straw.
iv. The import into India and export from India and trans-shipment of narcotic drugs and
psychotropic substances.
v. The rules prescribe the forms and conditions of licenses for cultivation of the opium poppy and
for the production and manufacture of opium.
vi. The rules may require that opium delivered by cultivator, if found as a result of examination in
the Central Government factory to be adulterated.

10.
OFFENCES AND PENALTIES
1. Punishment for contravention in relation to poppy straw.
2. Punishment for contravention in relation to coca plant and leaves.
3. Punishment for contravention in relation to prepared opium.
4. Punishment for contravention in relation to opium poppy and opium.
5. Punishment for illegal disposal of opium by cultivator.
6. Punishment for contravention in relation to cannabis plant and cannabis.
7. Punishment for contravention in relation to manufactured drugs and preparations.
8. Punishment for contravention in relation to psychotropic substances.
9. Punishment for illegal import into India, export from India of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
10. Punishment for external dealings in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances in contravention of the provisions of
this Act: Rigorous imprisonment for not less than ten years which may extend to twenty years with a fine not less
than one lakh rupees which may extend to two lakh rupees.
11. Punishment for allowing premises, etc. to be used for commencement of an offence: Rigorous imprisonment for
not less than ten years which may extend to twenty years with fine not less than one lakh rupees which may extend
to two lakh rupees.

11.
CONCLUSION
▪ Opium poppy was introduced in Mexico in the 1930s. In contrast, opium production for exporting
has much longer history in Asia. For example, during the first half of the 19th century Brits forced
China to keep their borders open for opium exports from British India (so called Opium War).
▪ In the Golden Triangle that composes of northern Thailand, northeastern Myanmar, south
Yunnan (China) and northern Laos, opium cultivation and trade has been widespread at least since
the 19th century.
▪ In Americas (South and Central) opium and coca cultivation in larger extent seems to be rather
recent phenomena. Large-scale coca cultivation in Peru and Bolivia began in the 1960s and 1970s
and in Colombia in the 1980s and 1990s. Opium poppy was introduced in Mexico in the 1930s.

12.
THANK YOU!