Tag: Poppy plant

The opium poppy (*Papaver somniferum*) has been cultivated for at least 7,000 years, making it the source of some of the world's oldest and most effective medicines [1.5.5]. The primary question, 'What drug is derived from the poppy plant?' leads to a class of powerful substances known as opiates.

Worldwide, about 60 million people used opioids in 2021. A natural opioid, also known as an opiate, is a substance derived directly from the opium poppy plant (*Papaver somniferum*) and includes well-known drugs like morphine and codeine. The "natural" origin, however, does not imply these substances are safer or less addictive than their synthetic counterparts.