Opium

The sight of the colorful blooms of opium poppy fields masks a dark side unlike any other found in nature. Contained within the seedpod of the opium poppy is a gummy sap that is harvested and processed for use by millions of drug addicts. Opium, whether smoked, eaten, or injected, imparts a dreamy sense of relaxation and relief from pain. Known for thousands of years as a mystical pleasurable drug, it was not until the 1800s that scientists understood how opium affects the brain and its potential for harm to those addicted as well as for healing to those suffering pain. Thousands of tons of opium are illegally grown and shipped world-wide in a multi-national multi-billion dollar illicit industry. The consumption of this highly addictive drug has caused an epidemic of social problems in America while efforts by law enforcement appear incapable of stopping the flow and medical practitioners appear incapable of stopping the demand.