A complete guide to cultivating and harvesting the beautiful opium poppy.The opium poppy is a potent plant that has been cultivated and used for thousands of years to alleviate suffering. The use of plant substances as alternatives to synthetic medicines is resurging due to their beneficial properties and less-toxic side effects. For example, many cancer and HIV sufferers are growing opium for personal use.Opium Poppy Garden is the only book available that describes the cultivation, harvest and pharmacology of opium in a format that combines literary and instructional writing. The heart of the book is the tale of Ch'ien, a young Chinese man who travels from Costa Rica to Columbia to grow an opium garden in the manner his Taoist grandfather taught him. The story, in conjunction with "The Cultivator's Diary" and the technical appendix, provide the reader with a working knowledge of this plant.

Oріum has been known аnd used for more than 7,000 уеаrѕ. A brіllіаntlу researched and wіdе-rаngіng study brіngѕ іtѕ history uр tо dаtе. Nо one knоwѕ exactly whеn opium was discovered. Early еvіdеnсе of its consumption was fоund іn a Nеоlіthіс burіаl site nеаr Bаrсеlоnа, whеrе it арреаrѕ it wаѕ uѕеd fоr its nаrсоtіс аnd аnаlgеѕіс еffесtѕ. The ancient Grееkѕ, whо hеld the оріum poppy sacred, сlаіmеd іt wаѕ Demeter whо dіѕсоvеrеd іt, with fіgurіnеѕ оf Pорру goddesses fоund іn Gаzі, Crеtе. Luсу Inglіѕ shows uѕ hоw widespread іtѕ uѕе wаѕ іn all іtѕ fоrmѕ, from рорру ѕееdѕ to mоrрhіnе аnd heroin. We dо nоt juѕt learn аbоut оріum, however; Inglis' bооk іnfоrmѕ uѕ аbоut immigration, dіѕеаѕе, trаdе, mіѕѕіоnаrіеѕ, racism, Oріum Wаrѕ, thе Gіn Craze, аddісtіоn and the multifarious subjects whісh contribute tо its hіѕtоrу. Evеn thе Cruѕаdеѕ and Mаrсо Polo gеt a mеntіоn. Thіѕ hіghlу informative еxрlоrаtіоn of the hіѕtоrу of оріum (and the wоrld, іt wоuld seem) ѕwеерѕ frоm the рrеhіѕtоrіс to modern recreational use. Nеw medical uѕеѕ оf opium wеrе fоund bу vаrіоuѕ Arаb ѕсhоlаrѕ whо contributed tо dеvеlорmеntѕ in аnаеѕthеѕіа, analgesia, рhаrmасоlоgу аnd surgery.

The book that could end the opioid epidemic, For the Love of Opium, begins with a historical account of Opium use in polite society prior to its criminalization. Author W. E. Simmons examines its influence on history, art, and literature, including how it inspired the most famous monsters of the horror genre. We learn what Opium is, the alkaloids that produce its effects, and how they work together and independently. We also learn why science has failed to make a safer and less addictive version of nature’s strongest medicine. The author delves into his personal experiences with opiates as we learn of the history of Opium, where it came from, its use by animals, Neanderthals, and early humans, Opium in religion, early medicine, and the first failed drug laws. Side effects of Opium and how to remedy them are explained. The science and psychology of addiction, endorphins, and the dark side of Opium and addiction are covered. Simple instructions for how not to get addicted to opium are laid out. Where and how to purchase Papaver Somniferum and its seeds is explained along with a step-by-step guide to growing poppies and harvesting your own Opium, how to make poppy tea and an extract of Opium from poppy straw, methods of ingestion, and Opium potentiators. The history of the legal status of Opium is debated, as well as the problem with the current drug scheduling system, and the absurdity of criminalizing plants. The citizens of the world are dying from Fentanyl and other deadly synthetic opioids that are secretly hidden in the drugs they take, and they take these drugs because the natural and safer alternative is against the law.

In the aftermath of the horrific trench warfare of the First World War, the poppy – sprouting across the killing fields of France and Belgium, then immortalised in John McCrae’s moving poem – became a worldwide icon. Yet the poppy has a longer history, as the tell-tale sign of human cultivation of the land, of the ravages of war and of the desire to escape the earthly realm through inspired Romantic opium dreams or the grim reality of morphine drips. This is a story spanning three thousand years, from the ancient Egyptian fights over prized medicinal potions to the addicted veterans returning home from the American Civil War, from the British political machinations during the Opium Wars with China to the struggle to end Afghanistan’s tribal narcotics trade. Through it all, there stands the transformative poppy. Nicholas J. Saunders brings us the definitive history of this ever-enduring but humble flower of the fields, a story that is at turns tragic, eye-opening and, most essentially, life-affirming – a gift to us all.

In addition to the true poppies of the genus Papaver, the other genera in the poppy family are featured in this profusely illustrated book, including favorites such as Eschscholzia, the California poppy, and Meconopsis, the fabled blue Himalayan poppy.