Environment Wild poppies concern Japanese narcotics authorities

[thomas]

When I hear poppy seeds, pastry and bread spring to my mind. Japanese authorities think otherwise.

Municipalities on Awaji Island in Hyōgo face problems controlling the spread of wild opium poppies: last year, they tripled over the previous year to about 10,000 plants. The poppies are easy to find from spring to early summer when the plants produce blossoms. The species of wild opium poppies found on the island is the poppy of Troy, characterized by leaves that wrap around the stem. The flower has four petals which are light purple or red. One plant can grow between 50 centimetres and 1 meter tall. Because narcotic substances can be extracted from it, the Opium Control Law prohibits its cultivation and possession.

The office found 10,331 wild opium poppy plants in April and May last year through its patrols and reports from local residents. This included a large area of natural growth where 3,000 plants were growing. It was a significant increase from the 3,746 found in 2021. Officials said that as many plants as possible need to be removed before the start of summer, because seeds scatter after the petals fall off. According to the Hyogo prefectural government, about 59,000 wild opium poppy plants were found in the whole prefecture last year. In May and June every year, the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry and the Hyogo prefectural government conduct activities to eliminate illegally produced marijuana and opium poppies. Because the climate of Awaji Island is warm, opium poppies grow faster than in other places.

Wild Opium Poppies on Awaji Island Concern Narcotics Authorities

 

[Petaris]

I like poppy seeds in pastries and muffins. I thought maybe they were from a different variety of the plant but apparently not: Opium Poppy

 

[thomas]

We use it a lot in Viennese cakes and pastry. I really miss that stuff.

Mohnkuchen – Wikipedia

de.m.wikipedia.org

There's a patisserie in Hase, Kamakura, that sometimes has fresh poppy strudel but it's quite pricey.

 

[Grandpa Frank]

For years the house next to me was a rental. A young man and his dad started a big pot farm in the cellar. The owner found out and kicked them out. They dumped all their plants and seeds behind the house in a flower garden there. For about 3 years I had to yank out and burn the pot plants that grew wild there.

 

[Petaris]

For years the house next to me was a rental. A young man and his dad started a big pot farm in the cellar. The owner found out and kicked them out. They dumped all their plants and seeds behind the house in a flower garden there. For about 3 years I had to yank out and burn the pot plants that grew wild there.

Did you get high on the smoke from the fires?

I remember reading an article where the DNR came across a hidden pot farm in a state forest and burned it and they said they had deer wondering around that were high from the smoke. lol

 

[Grandpa Frank]

The dummy wouldn't have been caught if he hadn't tried to bypass the electrical meter to hide their "high" use. Where they had their grow lights burned the wooden beams so they lucked out on no fires.