Dried opium poppies (Papaver somniferum). These drying seed capsules are the structures from which opium is collected. The crude opium is a milky late

---

Dried opium poppies (Papaver somniferum). These drying seed capsules are the structures from which opium is collected. The crude opium is a milky latex, which hardens into a gummy substance on exposure to air. Crude opium contains numerous alkaloids, including the painkillers morphine and codeine. It is the raw material for making heroin.

---

Size: 4533px × 3094px
Photo credit: © ALAN SIRULNIKOFF/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: addiction, addictive, botany, capsule, capsules, codeine, dried, drug, drugs, drying, fruit, heads, healthcare, illegal, manufacture, medical, medicinal, medicine, medicines, morphine, multiple, narcotic, narcotics, nature, opiate, opiates, opioid, opioids, opium, papaver, part, parts, pharmaceuticals, plant, plants, pods, poppies, poppy, production, reproduction, reproductive, seed, somniferum, structure