Opium Introduction

Image source: indigo and opium

Opium is a narcotic drug obtained from the Poppy Plant (Papaver somniferum). A plant of the family papaveraceae . Basically  when flowers are bears and the petals of these flowers fall,  then the  seed pods of the flowers are collected. These seed pods release a milky latex  which coagulates and its color changes into the brown mass after exposure with air. These coagulate brown mass then ground into a powder. This  powder is then sold by making cake, lumps and bricks forms and further it is again treated to make derivatives of these like morphine, codeine and heroin.  

Opium is known for its pain relieving and tranquilizing properties but because of its effects on the nervous system, it is abused. It is very addictive and makes the user dependent on the drug.