What Is Opium?

Opium is a depressant drug, and is derived from the poppy. Opium is one of the oldest plants recorded in history. A milky extract from the poppy is collected, dried, and then manufactured into a brown powder. It contains a cross over of chemicals such as morphine and codeine.

What does it look like?

It looks like a dark brown sticky gum, that is accompanied by a very strong odor.

How Is Opium Used?

Typically, the drug is smoke, but it can alternatively also be injected, swallowed or drunk. Ingesting and injecting can increase the likelihood of an overdose. Generally, it is smoked via a bong or a pipe.

Effects

Effects can include vein damage, tetanus, various types of Hepatitis, etc.

The main effects of the drug are brought about due to the collection of alkaloids; also known as opiates. They alter the normal functioning of the brain, and spinal cord.

The after effects of opium can be felt for as long as two to three hours, depending on the characteristics of the particular batch that is consumed. Tolerance builds up quickly.

It can affect people differently, depending on a number of factors, such as:

• The person’s size, weight and health
• Regularity of use
• Whether other drugs are taken around the same time
• The amount taken
• The strength of the drug (which will vary between batches).