Hi Kim! I did a little research around your poppy seeds as a result of Scott's warning. This is what I found:
Opium poppies are scheduled under U.S. Law. The Controlled Substances Act, Schedule II, lists "Opium poppy and poppy straw". The law has Poppies scheduled (under 'Mescaline' in the Federal Listing) as "Concentrate of poppy straw (crude extract of poppy straw in either liquid, solid or powder form which contains the phenanthrene alkaloids of opium poppies)".
There is some confusion in the law, because opium-producing poppies are widely grown around the US and Canada and the opium poppy seeds are very prevalent in cooking, breads, and desserts. The grey-blue poppy seeds sold in almost every grocery store in the US and Canada contain low levels of opiates. Poppy pods are widely used and sold in dry flower arrangements.
The law in the US is somewhat undecided about these plants, although there are attempts to try to stop them from being sold or grown. If poppies are grown as sources for opiates, there is no question that it violates the CSA. If poppies are only grown for ornamental purposes, their legal position is somewhat less clear cut, since they are so widely grown everywhere and available.
Opium for legal commercial pharmaceutical use is grown with special government licenses around the world, but very little of it is grown in the US. Large scale underground opium poppy growing is reported to take place in Mexico, Afghanistan, and many other countries in Asia. Much of the produced opium is converted into heroin to make it is easier to ship and it commands a higher price than raw opium.
Currently it is illegal to grow papaver somniferum, opium poppy seed, and opium poppies in the US; however, it is legal to possess poppies, dried flowers, poppy seed and opium poppy seeds.
So basically, you can't grow them, but you can have them. Figure that one out and we're all smarter!
So Kim, that's the scoop, now do as you wish, knowing that they are grown in everyone's garden in north america!
VAL
