The Tasmanian poppy industry is based on processing dry poppy plant material and is principally for the production of morphine, codeine and thebaine.
Morphine is the principal alkaloid in the opium poppy. It is a powerful analgesic narcotic and like other opiates, it acts directly on the central nervous system to relieve pain.
Side effects include impairment of mental performance, euphoria, drowsiness, lethargy and blurred vision. It also decreases hunger and inhibits the cough reflex.
Morphine is highly addictive and tolerance and physical dependency develop quickly.
Morphine is medically prescribed for the relief of moderate to severe pain and is found in various preparations.
Primarily, it is given as subcutaneous, intravenous or epidural injections. Orally, it comes as an elixir or in tablet form. Morphine is rarely in suppository form.
Codeine is the most widely used, naturally occurring narcotic in medical treatment in the world. This alkaloid is found in opium in concentrations ranging from 0.7 to 2.5 per cent. Codeine is also the starting material for the production of two other narcotics, dihydrocodeine and hydrocodone.
Codeine is medically prescribed for the relief of moderate pain and cough suppression.
Compared to morphine, codeine produces less analgesia, sedation, and respiratory depression, and is usually taken orally. It is made into tablets either alone or in combination with aspirin or acetaminophen (i.e. Tylenol with Codeine).
As a cough suppressant, codeine is found in a number of liquid preparations. Codeine is also used to a lesser extent as an injectable solution for the treatment of pain.
Thebaine, a minor constituent of opium, is controlled under international law. Thebaine is not used therapeutically, but is converted into a variety of substances including oxycodone, oxymorphone, nalbuphine, naloxone, naltrexone, and buprenorphine.
