Content
- Opium poppy - Harvest legal in Germany?
- Cultivation and harvest of opium poppy in Germany illegal
- Extraction of crude opium
- Extraction of poppy seeds
- Tips
The cultivation and the harvest of opium poppy are forbidden in Germany
Opium poppy - Harvest legal in Germany?
Not everything that at first glance looks like the opiate poppy (Papaver somniferum) is actually what. Although the plant grows only with permission in Germany sporadically grows in some gardens and sometimes wild in the wild, but can easily be confused with other poppy species and varieties. A crop for the manufacture of drugs is banned in Germany and is severely punished in accordance with the provisions of the Narcotics Act.
Earlier article opium poppy - sowing only with permissionCultivation and harvest of opium poppy in Germany illegal
Especially the opium poppy - but also other types of poppy - contain strong opiates, which is why the plant has long been used for the production of opiates such as morphine, opium or heroin. While the permitted harvest of poppy for medical purposes (morphine) or for the production of seeds as a baking ingredient for certain companies and institutions is allowed, it is prohibited for private individuals. Only individuals who want to cultivate opium poppy as an ornamental plant, may do so - but only with the permission of the Bundesopiumstelle. Time and again circulating information such as "the cultivation of 10 square meters is always allowed" belong in the realm of fairy tales, because who wants to sow opium poppy, this must always be approved.
Extraction of crude opium
Opium played an important role especially in Chinese history and has long been a drug often used. Even today, the substance is extracted from the latex of the opium poppy and serves as a base for medically used opiates, as well as opium and heroin. The extraction of Rohopium is a very complex matter in which the still immature seed capsule is scratched several times two to three weeks after flowering. The exiting latex juice is scraped off the capsule on the next morning and slightly dry and then processed further. The content of opiates varies greatly and is primarily dependent on the intensity of the sun's rays, but also on other weather conditions and on the quality of the soil.
Extraction of poppy seeds
On the other hand, the seeds of the opium poppy legally sold as blue- or baking poppy in supermarkets, etc., contain only little or no opiates, since the seeds are thoroughly cleaned before being packaged and sold. The production of an intoxicating tea from the poppy seeds is therefore no longer possible.
Tips
If you want to cultivate poppy plants in your garden, you only need to leave some plants in the fall - poppy seed usually very reliably self-sufficient.