Poppy tea
Poppy Tea is a narcotic analgesic tea which is brewed from the dried components of the Papaver somniferum plant. It has been consumed as long as the poppy has been cultivated for its psychoactive effects. Depictions both in Asian literature as well as in Western literature (such as in opium dens) abound. In some locales, preparation of tea may be preferred to opium as the latex of the plant (itself the primary component of opium) is illegal.
Poppy tea contains two groups of alkaloids: phenanthrenes (including morphine and codeine) and benzylisoquinolines (including papaverine).
Morphine is by far the most prevalent and important alkaloid in poppies, consisting of 10%-16% of the total. It binds to and activates μ-opioid receptors in the brain, spinal cord, stomach and intestine.
Preparation
The tea may be prepared from the stalks, seed pods, and seeds. The pods themselves have the highest alkaloid content. However, as the pods themselves may not be available in certain areas, the seeds may be used as well.
Pods are broken down into smaller elements, with emphasis on surface area. If pods are available, seeds are generally discarded (or set aside for planting). The tea is heated and steeped, but not boiled. Boiling temperatures can serve to degrade the alkaloid content. After steeping, the tea is strained, often with a second straining procedure to remove all content from the dried plant material.
As the tea is intensely bitter, it may be preferred to add lemon juice or ground coffee (in proportions similar to brewing a standard coffee beverage, or about 1:8 fluid ounces). Other juices, such as grapefruit juice may not only aid in alkaloid absorption, but inhibit histamine production, thus increasing the duration and strength of opioid effect.
The tea can be evaporated (carefully so as to not destroy the alkaloids) down further into a concentrate which is much more potent. It is more convenient because one doesnt have to boil any water when they want to use this concentrate. The concentrate also provides reliable dosage and only varies from batch to batch instead of dose to dose as regular tea does. Concentrate can be further evaporated into a dry powder that can be put into capsules and used orally. The resulting powder can also be smoked or snorted.
Effects
- Effects vary widely depending on the amount consumed, user tolerance and the total akaloid content of the tea. It is often compared to taking a healthy dose of Percocet or Codeine. Some users report 4-6 hour Opium-like highs with considerable opiate effects.
- Abrupt discontinuation of usage may lead to withdrawal effects, the symptoms of which include leg cramps, abdominal cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, insomnia, and cravings. It is recommended never to ingest poppy tea more frequently than 48 hour intervals if one wishes to avoid becoming dependent.