Although dramatized to imply that spending time in a field of poppies can cause an intense opiate effect on someone, The Wizard of Oz presents a satirical view of one of the many uses of the poppy plant. Perhaps the most well-known attribute of the Poppy is that it is used to produce the drug Opium, which is a narcotic drug which may induce sleep, reduce pain, and cause changes in mood or behavior. It is cultivated from the unripe seeds of the poppy plant. To harvest the drug, the skin of the undeveloped pods is scored with a very sharp blade, and a milky substance oozes from the pod. This substance is allowed to dry and then is scraped off in the form of a brown resin. The opium is then heated indirectly (not lit aflame, as is a common misconception), and the vapors are inhaled as needed.

However, despite its analgesic use, the poppy plant in itself is a family of beautiful flowers, borne one to a stem, which occur in many colors, including red, orange, blue, yellow, and pink. These flowers grow and are enjoyed in nature as well as many domestic gardens.

The flowers are often placed on graves to symbolize eternal sleep, probably due to the lethargic nature of their use as a drug. They are meant to represent consolation to the loved ones of the deceased, as well. In the UK and Canada, red poppies are worn to commemorate soldiers who have died in wars.

Many present a common question regarding the nature of this plant: Does consuming the seeds of the plant (I.e. on muffins or bread) cause one to test positive for opiates in a drug test? The answer is a surprising affirmative. A recent episode of Myth busters put this question to the test. Two participants consumed food covered in poppy seeds and proceeded to take a drug test within three hours of consumption. Both tested positive, and continued to do so until 18 hours after consuming the poppy seeds. However, these tests were done at the previous cutoff for the NIDA test, which was changed in 1998 solely because of false positives due to consumption of poppy seeds. Regardless, many recent studies have shown that after a curry meal high in poppy seeds, one can fail even the new test.

It’s clear why poppies have been the topic of many discussions through time. Their natural beauty, along with culinary and medicinal purposes, provides much to the culture of human beings through time.