Jharkhand State PCS

• 23 May 2024

Poppy Seized in Jharkhand

Why in News?

According to the official sources, police have seized 37.23 quintal of poppy worth over Rs 5.58 crore in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district.

Key Points

• The opium poppy (Papaver Somniferum L.) belonging to the family Papaveraceae, is an annual medicinal herb.
• It contains many alkaloids that are frequently used as an analgesic, antitussive and anti spasmodic in modern medicine. Besides, it is also grown as a source of edible seed and seed oil.
• Poppy straw is the husk left after the opium is extracted from pods.
• This poppy straw also contains a very small morphine content and if used in sufficient quantities, poppy straw can give a high.
• Possession, sale, use, etc. of poppy straw is regulated by the State Governments under the State Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances Rules.
• Farmers sell the poppy straw to those licensed by the State Governments to purchase poppy straw.
  • Any excess poppy straw is ploughed back into the field.
• Poppy straw is one of the narcotic drugs under the Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances Act 1985 (NDPS Act).
  • Hence, anyone possessing, selling, purchasing or using poppy straw without a license or authorization or in violation of any conditions of the license is liable to prosecution under the NDPS Act.

Alkaloids

• Alkaloids are a huge group of naturally occurring organic compounds which contain nitrogen atom or atoms (amino or amido in some cases) in their structures.
• These nitrogen atoms cause alkalinity of these compounds.
• Well-known alkaloids include morphine, strychnine, quinine, ephedrine, and nicotine.
• The medicinal properties of alkaloids are quite diverse. Morphine is a powerful narcotic used for the relief of pain, though its addictive properties limit its usefulness. Codeine, the methyl ether derivative of morphine found in the opium poppy, is an excellent analgesic that is relatively nonaddictive.