Ancient Use of Poppy Tea Rediscovered

I’ve often been astonished to learn how many people are unaware that the tiny black seeds on the poppy seed bagel that they had for breakfast can grow into the same plant that is used as a foundation for making opium, codeine, morphine, heroin, and other opiate drugs. 

Since the beginning of recorded history, the human species has used the poppy plant--Papaver somniferum-- for a variety of reasons. Its seeds are utilized as a tasty and nutritious food source, and the psychoactive components in its flowers  have been used as a means to relieve pain, sedate, relax, and sometimes it is used as a visionary tool. 

Many people use extracts from this seductive plant with full knowledge that the consciousness-shifting chemical compounds that it contains carry the risk of extreme physical addiction and maddening psychological dependence. 

Most people are aware of the opiate pharmaceutical drugs as prescribable pain killers, and almost everyone has heard stories about oriental opium smoking dens, as well as the dangers of heroin addiction, but few people are aware that several dried flower heads from the common poppy plant can be easily used to make a potent psychoactive herbal tea, with medicinally-valuable properties. Yet, for the majority of human history, this is how most people have utilized the plant’s unique and valuable attributes.

Because of the pharmaceutical industry’s monopoly on opiates, and because all non-pharmaceutical uses of opiates are legally forbidden and socially stigmatized, few people are aware of how simple, safe, and effective poppy tea can be for pain relief. I’ve learned that many people who suffer from chronic pain prefer using the plant in its natural form, and taking control of their own pain relief, rather than relying on the prescriptions from one’s physician for expensive pharmaceutical pain killers.

This was brought to my attention recently when I spoke to someone at a Santa Cruz medical marijuana collective who suffers from chronic pain. She told me that she had been using poppy tea effectively for pain relief, and I learned how easy and simple it is to prepare the tea from dried poppy flower heads, or “pods” as they are often called.

Although poppy tea is illegal to make or use, surprisingly, growing or buying the flower heads for decorative purposes is perfectly legal. Dried, organically-grown poppy pods can be obtained from online flower retailers for crafting and decorating, which you are free to do to your heart’s delight--and should your crafting needs ever require extremely prompt service, most of the online sellers will even ship you the poppies by overnight express delivery.

Just a few years ago, these sought-after craft items were relatively inexpensive and easy to find online. However, a number of online dried poppy pod sellers were arrested for selling the dried flower heads for non-decorative purposes, and--although dried poppies are still legal in the U.S. to buy and sell as craft items--the prices have substantially increased over the past few years, and many internet sellers now say that they are out of them. They have become harder to find, more expensive, and some internet forums complain of there being a poppy pod shortage.

This price-hike--due to an increase in demand and a shortage of supply--made the poppy plant unavailable to a lot of low-income people, who used it as an effective and inexpensive alternative to pharmaceutical painkillers, tranquilizers, and sleep aids.

Making poppy tea is easy. Preparing the tea involves the following basic steps:

First, choose the number of poppy pods. The strength of the pods varies to some degree with every plant, so its always best to be cautious. Generally, between 1 and 3 pods are used for beginners. (If taken in excess, poppy tea can make one very sick, and a little too much can be as deadly as any opiate drug.) 

Next, poke a hole in the pods and pour out the tiny black seeds. Then grind the pods into a fine whitish powder, and boil a cup of water. Pour the boiling water into a cup with the poppy pod powder. Stir well and let the plant material soak in the hot water for around 15 or 20 minutes. Then filter the crushed poppy pods out of the tea with a wire mesh strainer or in a French press.

Poppy tea contains several dozen psychoactive compounds--including morphine, codeine, and thebaine--and the mental and physical effects can be quite profound. Most people find its effects calming and pleasant, although it also makes a fair number of people nauseous when they first try it. 

In larger quantities it can become powerfully euphoric, even pleasantly psychedelic, and many artists, poets, and writers throughout history have used the seductive herbal tea for creative inspiration. 

However, it is important to always remember that poppy tea can be every bit as physically addicting, and every bit as dangerous, as any of the pharmaceutical opiate drugs. 

This material is this column is provided for educational purposes only and the author in no way condones the illegal use of poppy flowers.

For more information about the history and use of opium poppies see Kenaz Filan’s marvelous book The Power of the Poppy: Harnessing Nature's Most Dangerous Plant Ally.

Erowid is also a good source for more information on this subject. See: www.erowid.org/plants/poppy/poppy_info2.shtml

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