Opioids Safety of Poppy Pods.

[teological]

Sorry if this has been covered elsewhere. I searched but could not really find what I was looking for.

I have come across some pods that I can get very regularly. I plan on using them very frequently by simply blending the crushed pods in a blender with water and then straining the plant matter and drinking the drink.

My concerns are; are pods safe to consume regularly? Like should I just treat them like I treat cabbage or broccoli and other plan matter? Or is there some sort of kidney or liver damage I should be made aware of?

Also, does anyone know anything about the heavy metals the pods contain or that will seep into the water? Anything else I should be wary of before consuming on a regular basis? (I know it is addicting, constipation etc...but I am talking more about damage to your body)

I really need this harm reduction information and others can use this too.

Thanks.

 

[sekio]

Poppy pods are neither standardised for narcotic content (morphine/codeine) nor are they screened for e.g. heavy metals, because they're not considered to be food.

The short answer is no, pods aren't good to consume on the regular. Especially considering the size and intensity of a dependence you can build. Since most people lack access to the sort of tools needed to assess heavy metal contents from poppy tea (ICP-MS?) you would either need to sit down and do titrations the old-fashioned way, or contract the work out to a university or something. Otherwise there is the spectre of lead and stuff, so I am told.

This is ignoring the fact that, by and large, poppy tea is illegal. Poppy pods are in a very shady gray area, but once you start processing them for human consumption the DEA will stop believing you buy 3 dozen a week because they look nice around your apartment.

At least on paper, one way around this might be finding some method to extract the morphine out and leave any metals behind, but that is far and above too complex in terms of equipment and resources for the average person.

 

[teological]

Oh, ok. I was under the impression that it was just safe plant matter. So what if someone grows it in their own garden? It still contains all the lead and that right? I thought people had been consuming the pods for tens of thousands of years. So all these people these days that consume Pod tea are killing themselves?

I know about the dependence you can build, and the illegality and withdrawal, etc- but I was not really asking about that. I want to know more about its safety profile against the body and its organs.

How about the opium sap that is cut form the plant? Is that safe (I am not talking about overdose either)? Does that contain anything that can cause damage over time?

I thought the poppy plant was safe to consume

 

[bennyZA]

You're asking about other things that come from the actual consumption of something not considered food safe. It's not about the opium. If you don't know where it's grown and how its grown, specifically (exactly where, who, how, when they were grown, etc) it's no different than eating weeds growing up on the side of the freeway every day. Just cause something is grown doesn't mean it's safe. The poppy that was drank for 10,000's of years wasn't brought to you by monsanto products.

btw... I know you think you're too cool for school, but you have no idea what you're getting yourself into. There is absolutely nothing safe, and I mean nothing, about recreational opiate use on a regular basis. An opiate is an opiate. The idea that you *plan* on using an opiate very frequently BEFORE you are addicted is fucking ludicrous.

 

[teological]

So what if I know it was grown in an organic garden, in a clean backyard?

How do you know I am too cool for school? The idea that you are so sure of who I am, or who I think I am and you are so sure that I have never been addicted before or if I am addicted right now, then have the spine to criticize your own made up presumption is "fucking ludicrous". Then again this is a drug forum, and I expect people with your state of fried mind to pop up here and there.

Why aren't opiates safe on a regular basis? I thought it was all the other medicines that they combine with them that does the damage to your organs (APAP etc)? Again, I am not talking about WD or overdosing, as I have said before.

I just want to consume opiates as safe as I can and was just checking to see the safety profile of the plant itself. Damn.

 

[sekio]

The simple answer is, poppies are bioaccumulators. They will uptake and concentrate metals from the soil, like nuts and some other plants. Can this be a problem in some areas? Yes. Is it something the recreational user of home grown poppies is likely to be sickened or injured by? Staggeringly unlikely.

 

[RTrain]

The heavy metal that is of most concern with poppies is cadmium. There are studies in which the level of cadmium in the seeds is found to be very high, but as far as research on the cadmium content of the pods/plant matter aside from the seeds, there is none I have come across. But one would have to believe if its in the seeds there is at least some throughout the plant itself. There is also the question of whether the cadmium remains contained inside the seeds when washed, or if water pulls it out, at least when discussing the use of poppy seed tea. Also the issue of what form of cadmium is contained is poppies is a factor, in regards to its solubility in water and toxicity to humans.

 

[dopemegently]

Planning on taking opiates every day is absurd; please tell me you're aware that this type of drug causes severe physical dependence if taken regularly? And don't expect to use a certain amount each day- when tolerance occurs, you'll need to consume larger amounts, and these pods are not cheap; they're sold at an insane mark-up.

If you're intent on taking them, at least plan to take them irregularly, like every weekend for example. Course, this is easier said than done with opiates; they can really sneak up on you. Re the safety of the pods, this is an unregulated market-there are no guarantees of safety. After all, they're not sold for human consumption, they're sold for "flower arrangement and decoration" wink wink, nudge nudge.

Btw I've known "pod people" who've been using the stuff for years, often decades, and these people have clean bills of health.

 

[bennyZA]

So what if I know it was grown in an organic garden, in a clean backyard?

How do you know I am too cool for school? The idea that you are so sure of who I am, or who I think I am and you are so sure that I have never been addicted before or if I am addicted right now, then have the spine to criticize your own made up presumption is "fucking ludicrous". Then again this is a drug forum, and I expect people with your state of fried mind to pop up here and there.

Why aren't opiates safe on a regular basis? I thought it was all the other medicines that they combine with them that does the damage to your organs (APAP etc)? Again, I am not talking about WD or overdosing, as I have said before.

I just want to consume opiates as safe as I can and was just checking to see the safety profile of the plant itself. Damn.

Dude, I'm sorry, I was totally a dick. I couldn't sleep and was coming down of some stims. It was like 5am for me. I was not "with it." I know when I'm wrong. The line of reasoning for what I said is cause so many people come on BL, kids who barely use drugs, who ask something like "is poppy tea safe to use everyday. I want to do opiates but I'm too afraid of heroin or oxy. Oh btw, don't you dare lecture me on addiction." That shit is so common. I was feeling like a giant bag of rotting elephant shit, so I thought you were one of those 15 year old future junkies that thinks it's safe and not addictive cause it's a plant.

I mean, there are issues. It's not going to be perfectly healthy, but if you grow them yourself or know for a fact they're organically grown then you're fine for the most part. It's no different than eating nuts, berries, or fruits you grow in your backyard. It may have some issues with some metals, but I wouldn't worry about it. I grew my own poppies to finally be able to try real opium and I ended up smoking and making tea more than once a day for a couple months and I didn't get sick.

All that being said, do you have experience with addiction?

 

[dopemegently]

Yeah, I see nothing harmful with the plant itself. People have been using it across the world in many preparations for thousands of years, after all. Besides, boiling it for tea is gonna remove most, if not all, bacteria in the plant. No, it's the medium it's grown in that's going to cause any heavy metals or toxic substances; it's all about the soil.

Growing your own is a good idea to achieve a safe product (not to mention its your only chance at harvesting the opium latex for smokable product, if that's your thing; but you'd need a fair amount of land to grow enough pods for daily use, and you will need a LOT of pods. Of course, poppy cultivation may be illegal where you are. If so, it may be a good idea to contact you're vendor and ask about the quality of grow medium they use, and the possibility of any contaminants therein. You're in every right to do so, as you're paying these people a lot of money for those pods, far more than they're really worth, in fact.

 

[teological]

Yeah, I see nothing harmful with the plant itself. People have been using it across the world in many preparations for thousands of years, after all. Besides, boiling it for tea is gonna remove most, if not all, bacteria in the plant. No, it's the medium it's grown in that's going to cause any heavy metals or toxic substances; it's all about the soil.

Growing your own is a good idea to achieve a safe product (not to mention its your only chance at harvesting the opium latex for smokable product, if that's your thing.

Dude, I'm sorry, I was totally a dick. I couldn't sleep and was coming down of some stims. It was like 5am for me. I was not "with it." I know when I'm wrong. The line of reasoning for what I said is cause so many people come on BL, kids who barely use drugs, who ask something like "is poppy tea safe to use everyday. I want to do opiates but I'm too afraid of heroin or oxy. Oh btw, don't you dare lecture me on addiction." That shit is so common. I was feeling like a giant bag of rotting elephant shit, so I thought you were one of those 15 year old future junkies that thinks it's safe and not addictive cause it's a plant.

I mean, there are issues. It's not going to be perfectly healthy, but if you grow them yourself or know for a fact they're organically grown then you're fine for the most part. It's no different than eating nuts, berries, or fruits you grow in your backyard. It may have some issues with some metals, but I wouldn't worry about it. I grew my own poppies to finally be able to try real opium and I ended up smoking and making tea more than once a day for a couple months and I didn't get sick.

All that being said, do you have experience with addiction?

Lol all good benny bro, I was just a little confused on why you were so angry haha. I know what you mean about the kids thinking they are bullet proof and asking open ended questions, in which they will not follow the advice given anyway. Yeah, I have experienced all the ups and the very long list of downs associated with addiction. I know how shitty a situation opiates can land you in.

Dopemegently, yeah, I was hoping the plant would be safe if grown in a safe environment. I mean it has been used for so long. I just wanted to check. I have a few more questions if you guys don't mind; 1) Is it possible to make the tea from the poppy straw without crushing the pods? As to limit the amount of heavy metals getting into the water if they are inside the pod itself?
2) Is it effective to just eat the sap, instead of smoke? And will the sap get you one dose/one high from one plant (say 5 - 8pods worth of sap)?

I am just curious really. I do not have the guts to grow these. I am just waiting it out until drugs become legal, sigh.

 

[dopemegently]

I'm sorry, I don't know about heavy metals making their way into opium poppies. To be honest I had no idea this was even a problem, but I guess if these plants are "bioaccumulators", then I guess in theory it's possible some toxic shit could make it into the plant. If so, the harmful substances would affect the whole plant. If the company you're buying from is a professional horticulture company, and they grow their own poppy, it's pretty unlikely they'd be growing their product in a potentially toxic medium; that would just be crazy. I think your best bet here is to just contact you're supplier and find out-I'm sure they'd put your mind at rest. If you're really worried I guess you could send your pods off for tests, but this could be expensive. I personally feel its safe to use pods; there are shit loads of pod people out there after all; if they were getting sick from toxic pods, believe me there would be an uproar, and pods would be banned quicker than greased lightning.


And yeah, you can eat opium; it's been done this way throughout history (smoking it was in fact a relatively recent method first used by the Chinese). Don't get me wrong, you'd need a fair amount of opium-but if you had enough, you could make an opium wine, you could roll it up with good hash and make Nepalese Temple Balls (great high btw), hell you could make a tincture of opium, or even laudanum if you had enough opium; these drugs are simplicity itself compared to modern pharmaceuticals.
I have to say though, if I had some good opium, I would smoke it myself, although I am partial to the odd Nepalese Temple Ball. (At least I was till I started suboxone.)


Is poppy cultivation something that interests you btw?

 

[bennyZA]

1) Is it possible to make the tea from the poppy straw without crushing the pods? As to limit the amount of heavy metals getting into the water if they are inside the pod itself?
2) Is it effective to just eat the sap, instead of smoke? And will the sap get you one dose/one high from one plant (say 5 - 8pods worth of sap)

1.) It is possible, but will be a huge waste and I don't think you'll make much of a difference. You have to get the stuff in the pods out, either way.
2.) Eating the sap is how most people have imbibed opium throughout history. Smoking is a relatively recent phenomena. I want to say 5-8 pods might be enough, it really depends on your tolerance and the strength of the pods. 5-8 could be anywhere from 10-15mg of morphine - 100mg (100 would be the most perfect scenario in every which way). I ate it in cakes, and it was really nice. I also took the sap and mixed it with water and made opium paste tea. It's really nice cause it lasts so long. Some people say too long. That being said, if you can get your hands on real opium paste you should at least try and smoke it. If I could get it every day, I would smoke it all day instead of blowing dope. I find it a more "complete." There are so many more aspects to opium than to any of its refined relatives. You have to cook the opium paste first though, before you can smoke it. Very simple procedure though.

Man... I miss my magical garden of goodies.

 

[teological]

Well, I have interest in it, yes. But I would not grow it unless it was legal. I have my job on the line so...

 

[sekio]

Consuming poppy pods for narcotic effects is actually illegal in the US.

 

[Lady Codone]

It's not legal to consume poppies, but that's neither here nor there...

From my understanding, constipation is the biggest long-term side effect of opiate use. Of course addiction and overdose are always possibilities too. But no, opium doesn't cause chronic organ damage like alcohol or cigs. Some people gain or lose weight while using (I gained several pounds). Many guys experience erectile dysfunction and/or lowered libido but it was just the opposite for me--my sex drive went up (I'm female).

The possibility of contamination with pesticides or other toxins is there in theory, but I've never seen any reports of poisoning in pod users. Buy from a trusted organic grower and things *should* be fine. Should. You could theoretically get poisoned by the herbal supplements in your cabinet since they're not regulated by the FDA either.

So to answer your question: treat pods like a potentially-dangerous supplement that you use occasionally.