The human body cannot process the chemicals in the Tasmanian poppy. Use in any way, including poppy tea, should be treated as an emergency. Any dose is a toxic dose, seek help immediately.
SMS ‘poppy’ to 0439 835 563 confidential Australian Drug Foundation.
Tasmanian poppies are highly toxic if ingested. They are uniquely different to standard poppies and have been developed to produce chemicals suitable for industrial processing only.
The opiate alkaloid industry is ideally suited to Tasmania because of a combination of agricultural and security factors. Agricultural factors include rich soils, highly skilled farmers, reliable spring and early summer rains and access to irrigation, followed by long hours of sunlight. From the point of view of security, Tasmania’s island status and the existence of a law-abiding local population are of vital importance.
All poppy cultivation and initial processing, as well as a significant proportion of manufacture, is undertaken in Tasmania. The Australian opiate alkaloid industry is a success story of international significance.