[paul.fr]

I wonder this because i passed a lot of fields full of poppies on the train today, and noticed there was no hordes or drug dealers / takes / chemists! in the field picking them.

So can common UK poppies be used to make opium? If not, why not?

[DoctorBeaver]

No because you need a proper opium poppy (Papaver somniferum)

[paul.fr]

No because you need a proper opium poppy (Papaver somniferum)

damn...I mean good, can you derive anything from UK poppies?

[DoctorBeaver]

Apart from false positives in drug tests, not a lot.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poppy

[Karen W.]

 I used to think we had the bad one here in California I understood,until I read that wikipedia! LOL! I always thought the California poppy was an opium poppy! At least that is what I was told growing up! LOL Who the heck were those awful teachers...LOL

[Bored chemist]

Opium popies grow perfectly well in the UK. Here's a pretty one on sale half price
http://seeds.thompson-morgan.com/uk/en/product/4248/1
The opium yeild might be a bit lower than those grown for drugs but I think there would be morphine etc produced. Of course, it's illegal to harvest them for drugs.

[Karen W.]

Wow! I have never seen a poppy look like that with the frilly edges and the deep burgandy color is gorgeous!

[another_someone]

What type of poppy is used to harvest poppy seeds used for baking (atop bread, or in poppy seed cake etc.)?

I know they are not opium poppies, but as Eth has suggested, they can create false positives on drug tests, which means that some prison wardens and police officers in the USA have written into their contract that they are not allowed to eat bread or pastry or other foods with poppy seeds.

That having been said, since all poppy seeds (and according to the Wikipedia article, possible the straw) contain measurable quantities of opiates, I would imagine they could be harvested for extraction of said opiates, even if the efficiency of this would be comparable to extracting gold from sea water.

[paul.fr]

What type of poppy is used to harvest poppy seeds used for baking (atop bread, or in poppy seed cake etc.)?

i have never heard of poppy seeds in baking.

[Karen W.]

Yep they are little tiny black round seeds I have a recipe for poppyseed muffins that are quite good! I never thought about that before though! LOL

[another_someone]

As mentioned in the Wikipedia article, it is quite common in central and eastern European cuisine, and you have to remember my heritage.

But even in this country, you must have seen bread rolls with small black poppy seeds on top.

[paul.fr]

As mentioned in the Wikipedia article, it is quite common in central and eastern European cuisine, and you have to remember my heritage.

But even in this country, you must have seen bread rolls with small black poppy seeds on top.

I am a fussy bugger, as you know george. I don't eat those loaves because they just look wrong. Saying that it never occured to me that they were poppy seeds.

[Karen W.]

LOL LOL>> They are very good!

[dentstudent]

Here is a news piece from the BBC from today concerning opium in Afghanistan

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6239734.stm

[paul.fr]

Here is a news piece from the BBC from today concerning opium in Afghanistan

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6239734.stm

it always worries me that with our and other troops in Afghanistan, that their production of opium is not declining. Now i know this is how the population earn a living and that the fields are protected by warlords, but should we not be offering them incentives to grow something else?

[another_someone]

Here is a news piece from the BBC from today concerning opium in Afghanistan

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6239734.stm

it always worries me that with our and other troops in Afghanistan, that their production of opium is not declining. Now i know this is how the population earn a living and that the fields are protected by warlords, but should we not be offering them incentives to grow something else?

The opium harvest did decline under the Taliban, but since we overthrew the Taliban, the harvest has been on the increase.

Yes, we should be giving them incentives develop an economy that is not based on opium; but how do you do that while you are still fighting a war, and busy setting up checkpoints, and impeding the general mobility of the population (which is an inevitable consequence of trying to suppress an insurgency).

We had about 12 to 18 months to make a difference after the overthrow of the Taliban, but most of that time was wasted, and the window of opportunity is gradually closing (and we are still managing to antagonise the local population by killing innocent civilians).

The only way we could make a difference is by implementing a massive road building program, and general infrastructure programs that would improve the movement of goods and people.  It needs to be a country that foreigners are comfortable investing in and doing business in (if you were thinking of building a new factory for your international business, would you really think Afghanistan was the right choice to make right now?).

[paul.fr]

The opium harvest did decline under the Taliban, but since we overthrew the Taliban, the harvest has been on the increase.

Yes, we should be giving them incentives develop an economy that is not based on opium; but how do you do that while you are still fighting a war, and busy setting up checkpoints, and impeding the general mobility of the population (which is an inevitable consequence of trying to suppress an insurgency).

We had about 12 to 18 months to make a difference after the overthrow of the Taliban, but most of that time was wasted, and the window of opportunity is gradually closing (and we are still managing to antagonise the local population by killing innocent civilians).

The only way we could make a difference is by implementing a massive road building program, and general infrastructure programs that would improve the movement of goods and people.  It needs to be a country that foreigners are comfortable investing in and doing business in (if you were thinking of building a new factory for your international business, would you really think Afghanistan was the right choice to make right now?).

All good points, George. I am just amazed that there is no "future looking" plan to rid the country of opium. Yes, troops are destroying the harvest when they can but nothing (as far as i know, read)is being done to compensate the farmers. As a result the insurgency are gaining ground and popularity with the locals.

[DoctorBeaver]

The same problem exists in South America with coca