On Fri, 23 Apr 2004 13:59:43 GMT, "Pam - gardengal"
opined:


I am constantly amazed at the amount of misinformation that gets
disseminated through this group.

Thanks for the attack. I wouldn't expect that from you to me.

Oriental poppies (Papaver orientalis) are NOT illegal to own or grow and are
not the source of opium. Papaver somniferum, aka the breadseed, sleep,
peony-flowered or opium poppy IS illegal, but enforcement is, at the best,
sporadic and half-hearted. The seeds are very commonly sold by a number of
seed supply houses and are routinely included in wildflower seed mixes,
poppy starts are frequently found in nurserires and someone somewhere is
growing them in bulk, otherwise there would be no poppyseed pastries and
bagels.

I meant P. somniferum. Sorry. I won't do that again.

Since I read somewhere that it takes like an acre or more to produce any
measurable quantity of opium (just a recollection - don't quote as fact),
growing a few plants in your garden will hardly be considered the next major
crime wave and hopefully the police and DEA have more important issues to
attend to.

I have heard of plants being removed from gardens - whether by the
authorities or kids experimenting was never clear - but I have never heard
of anyone arrested for growing a few of them in a garden setting.

pam - gardengal