The stalks fly in the air, as does the sap from the poppy bulb, releasing the distinctive, pungent smell of opium in its most raw form. Within a matter of minutes, Abdul and a dozen other men raze ...

The poppy flower (Papaver rhoeas) is an enduring symbol of remembrance and hope, particularly in recognition of the Armed ...

The Taliban claims opium poppy cultivation was stopped and the flow of illegal drugs halted when it was last in power in Afghanistan. But although there was a sharp drop in 2001 - when it was last ...

4. The first British poppy crop was destroyed by hares In the 19th Century, British horticulturalists who were incentivised by the booming opium trade attempted to establish an opium poppy crop in ...

The climate of these parts of Asia seems peculiarly adapted to the growth of the species of poppy (papaver somniferum), from which opium is obtained ; accumulating in the juice of the plant the ...

Until 2022, Afghanistan was the country with the largest opium poppy cultivation area in the world. The ban led to a recorded 95% drop in poppy harvests in 2023.

Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers have succeeded in slashing opium poppy production in the country after banning cultivation of the crop, analysis of satellite imagery and reports from the ground ...

A 3-year-old boy who loves plants has been honored by police for finding a banned opium poppy in his neighborhood. Kawamura Yuki discovered a plant with blooming purple flowers in an open area ...

At first, it appeared that the April 2022 ban on the opium poppy cultivation by the Taliban would be a success. Satellite images and area reports indicated major reductions in poppy fields ...