Law and Opium Poppies

Discussion in 'HortForum' started by pod, Apr 23, 2006.

  1. pod

    pod Member

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    Does any body know for sure if it is legal to grow opium poppies in Canada?

    I see many companies which sell the seed with growing instructions, but I can't seem to get a definitive answer to this question. I love the flowers and want to grow them but could I end up in jail for just growing the flower or is it only illegal to extract the latex from the seed pod. I'm not a druggie so I am not interested in that aspect of the plant. Are there any lawyers here on this forum who could answer this question ?
    Has anybody ever been charged in Canada for growing poppies ? I can't find any info on charges being laid by the police for growing opium poppies in Canada.

    I have done lots of web research and basically found a lot of info on opium extraction and growing and people being charged in the USA for growing but nothing in Canada.
    I have read some of the law regarding poppies but I have not found any thing about growing the poppies to be illegal.

    Does the UBC grow opium poppies ?

    Please help me with these questions.

    pod
     
  2. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    I don't think you are going to have a problem unless you plant a big patch that looks like it is going to be used for harvest and production. Nurseries here have continued to sell the plants in recent years.
     
  3. pod

    pod Member

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    Thanks for your answer.

    I don't know what a large patch would be or what would look like production is going on or what would happen if a neighbour were to call the police.

    I am looking for an answer from some one in Canada who knows for sure what the law is and how it is applied in Canada.

    Any takers ?
     
  4. Daniel Mosquin

    Daniel Mosquin Paragon of Plants UBC Botanical Garden Forums Administrator Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Read through all of this thread which goes back and forth on a number of topics, but contains the answer (in short, yes, it's illegal.).
     
  5. pod

    pod Member

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    Does the UBC Botanical Garden grow any opium poppies ?

    I have seen pictures of fields of opium poppies grown in Canada for the purpose of seed, oil and flower art. The dried pods are openly sold on the internet for flower arraigning and for the seed they contain. Yet I have never heard of a charge being laid against a grower in Canada. I believe that the police do not wish to test the law in the courts in case they loose the case. Which they could because of the use of the flower as a garden plant, poppy seed for cooking and poppy seed oil production.

    Apparently there is not enough latex in the flower to become a problem for illegal drug production. It would take a large amount of land with a great deal of cheep labourers to collect the latex (raw opium) which is not economically feasible in Canada. Other methods of harvesting the drugs within poppy straw as the Australians do, would require large amounts of straw and a big farm and lab to make any illegal profits, which of course cannot be hidden like a pot grow lab can.

    One has to wonder, why, growing a few poppies in their garden would be illegal, when a grower would be hard pressed to produce any sustainable supply of opium even for ones self, never mind being able to supply others.

    What about the enforcement of this law. Does any body on this forum know of or ever hear of a charge being laid against a Canadian growing some poppies in their garden ?

    Pod
     
  6. Articulady

    Articulady Member

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    My guess is that anyone who would recognize that they are indeed that particular kind of poppy would also know you'd need a whole lot more than a simple home garden, and those who might turn you in for it might not even know what they are anyway... just a guess. As long as you aren't already under scrutiny by your neighbors or the local law enforcement, you'd *probably* be safe...
     
  7. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Things are all over the place down here, one of the most common reseeding annuals.
     
  8. Daniel Mosquin

    Daniel Mosquin Paragon of Plants UBC Botanical Garden Forums Administrator Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    No, UBC Botanical Garden does not grow these poppies: Papaver at UBC
     
  9. pod

    pod Member

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    Daniel Mosquin

    Can I assume that the UBC does not grow opium poppies because they are illegal ?

    Pod
     
  10. pinenut

    pinenut Active Member 10 Years

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    A law enforcement officer (an honest to god drug squad narc) married into the same family and culture that I did. When he first visited my mother in law's garden his reaction was "hey she's not supposed to be growing these!" Nothing ever came of it, but the reasons will never be clear either.
    Out of curiosity I tried, without success, to harvest some latex. Oh well...
     
  11. Daniel Mosquin

    Daniel Mosquin Paragon of Plants UBC Botanical Garden Forums Administrator Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    I wouldn't make that assumption. The garden generally doesn't grow annuals, for maintenance reasons.
     

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