Review Erowid at GreatNonprofits.org
Help us be a "Top Rated Nonprofit" again this year and spread
honest info (good or bad) about psychedelics & other psychoactive drugs.
("Share Your Story" link. Needs quick login creation but no verification of contact info)
Poppy Seed Maintenance
Poppies - Opium & Various Herbs
Citation:   jacky. "Poppy Seed Maintenance: An Experience with Poppies - Opium & Various Herbs (exp26640)". Erowid.org. Dec 30, 2005. erowid.org/exp/26640

 
DOSE:
150 mg oral Poppies - Opium
BODY WEIGHT: 170 lb
Over the past decade I have been habituated to opiates for most of the time. It began with pills, progressed to IV heroin, and finally seems to have settled with oral doses of poppy seeds.

After getting hooked on oxycodone and methadone once again, and riding the edge of blowing everything again, I learned of poppy seeds. This has had a significant effect on my lifestlye and health. The seeds of the opium plant are specifically exempted from any controls, and I have used this legal source of opioids to my seeming benefit. I started by grinding the seeds and making a tea from this soupy starchy oily mess. Graduating to a water and lime juice extraction that works much better by not grinding the seeds. I find the effects to be somewhat heavy, slightly uncomfortable at first, with a stimulant edge. Doses over 1 pound usually just bring on dysphoric effects, and I have been using around a cup's worth spread over 3 doses in a day. I have consumed the seeds for over a year straight, and during that time completeley quit using IV drugs. I have quit drinking and smoking cigarettes also. I feel that the poppy seeds support my ability to walk away from the majority of these substances in that they leave me content with minor analgesic/euphoric effects.

There is obviously a complicated blend of alkaloids in the seeds also, and I sometimes wonder if thebaine is contributing to the effects, as the beginning can be somewhat forceful and stimulating, and in the latter part turns heavy and sedating. UN data points to the possibility that thebaine is metabolized into morphine in vitro. I have also noticed that my tolerance doesn't progress unchecked, but seems to hang out in the 100-200 gram range.

One problem is getting different potency of seeds in different batches. I buy mine in ten pound lots, for around 1.25$ a pound, and I have noticed a large variation in potency. One batch was so potent that it was very very bitter, and caused dysphoric effects till I got my dose lowered, that lot lasted me almost a month and a half. I took the seeds to a recent conference as I didnt want to 'kick' before going on vacation. I took the seeds on carry-on, and also mailed some to my friend's house. I would just put the seeds in an empty juice bottle, fill with water, and just drink the seeds whole. This produced a milder high, that seemed drawn out, and also helped my bowel movements, which can become quite unregular when habituated to the seeds. The ease and seeming legality of transporting the seeds makes traveling on opiates alot less of a hassle than I used to experience.

There is a downside to this maintenance program of mine, chronic addiction can build up no matter what the opioid is, and I was reaching a point where I couldnt sleep longer than 3 hours at a time, and would suffer panic attacks that reminded me very much of the same reactions I had when strung out severely on heroin. I needed to cut my dose, and researched several herbs like bacopa, ashwaghanda, morinda citrifolia, chaste tree, salvia divinorum, pukatea and more for opiate action or interaction to help lower my seed dose without suffering withdrawal. I cut my dose by 2/3rds using a combination of these herbs and felt much much better.

I have slowly reduced my poppy seeds dose to around 25 grams of seeds, and amazingly I can still detect effects. Taking morinda citrifolia, ashwaghanda and bacopa daily has really helped, and I am really impressed with the potency of these herbs as potentiators for opiates. I plan to keep cutting my dose and getting off the seeds on a daily basis. The other herbs I take provide some support I believe for the opiate system. Some of them have scientific data that supports this belief, but the real deal is in consuming the plants. I have received very real opiate effects from consuming the suggested amounts of these herbs. ME and a friend were able to interrupt oxycodone habits at around a 100 milligrams a day using poppy seeds. If you would have told me 5 years ago what I have learned about using herbs to replace heroin I wouldnt have believed it. A certain weight has been lifted from my psyche in that I realize I now have access to legally support my opiate cravings, which in moderation I believe to be a healthy alternative to alcohol, IV drugs etc. I wonder how long these seeds will be continue to be sold in their present state?

A friend in portland claims seeds in that area are being treated somehow. When made into a tea he noticed no bitterness, very little particulate matter with just the lime juice coloring the water. He also noticed very little oil released, and NO effects. I hope this isnt a growing trend, and may just be an isolated misunderstanding. I have watched more and more reports on the internet surface on this subject and was amused to read of a US Marine's wife using the seeds to combat insomnia caused from worrying about her husband serving in Iraq.

Most people have no use for this information, or could really care less, but for me it provided an escape from expensive illegal opiate addiction. If you are strung out give poppy seeds a try, if not be very careful in your consumption as the seeds can bring about a moderate physical dependency rather quickly. I included my experience with the other herbs because they really help either intensify effects, or minimize or even abolish withdrawal in my body. I also use 50-100 milligrams of tramadol daily when easing off of the seeds, this product can help alot also and is rather easy to get legally prescribed.

I will include this last experience with herbal blends and poppy seeds because it was one of the strongest inebriations I have experienced. I consumed my normal 100+ grams poppy seed dose at 6pm. I was at work and waited till I had 20 minutes left in my shift. I then took a blend of 50 mg 5-htp, 60 grms dark chocolate, methionine, protein enzyme digestant pills, schizandra, ashwaghanda. Shortly after I started feeling dizzy and somewhat nauseous, and worked extra hard to get out of work quickly. After getting off work I rode home on my bike. My arms seemd very long and far way, and my balance was fucked. The analgesia in my hands was very strong, I could barely feel them! Riding my bike was difficult and I worried about attracting attention as I was now throwing up. I vomited all the way home and laid straight down. Once reclined I felt better and could enjoy the rather intense opiate effects without any further purging. I nodded in and out of consiousness, languishing in the novelty of experiencing heavy effects from a handful of legal substances that ran me no more than 5$. I was somewhat worried about stopping breathing and tried to stay awake a few more hours.

In the morning I had a definite opiate hangover and the knowledge of a 'new blend'. I think the 5-htp and the chocolate really added to the effect. Naloxone is perported to relieve chocolate craving, and cannabanoids have been proven to interact with pain sensation, and serotonin intensifies opiate effects, as do most antideppressants. I have not repeated this blend again, and would only bring it out on special occasions. I do remember at a conference a gentleman passing out information on chocolate, I shared this recipe with him and he said that schizandra specifically intensifies chocolates effects?

SO to wrap it up I have been very lucky to have lived out my reckless days of heroin addiction, and I owe it mostly to online information and the ethnobotanical 'movement''s sharing of information that turned me on to viable alternatives of inebriation. Thanks Alot!!

Exp Year: 2003ExpID: 26640
Gender: Not Specified 
Age at time of experience: Not Given
Published: Dec 30, 2005Views: 57,464
[ View PDF (to print) ] [ View LaTeX (for geeks) ] [ Swap Dark/Light ]
Poppies - Opium (43), Various (136) : Addiction & Habituation (10), Retrospective / Summary (11), Various (28)

COPYRIGHTS: All reports copyright Erowid.
No AI Training use allowed without written permission.
TERMS OF USE: By accessing this page, you agree not to download, analyze, distill, reuse, digest, or feed into any AI-type system the report data without first contacting Erowid Center and receiving written permission.

Experience Reports are the writings and opinions of the authors who submit them. Some of the activities described are dangerous and/or illegal and none are recommended by Erowid Center.


Experience Vaults Index Full List of Substances Search Submit Report User Settings About Main Psychoactive Vaults