Opium is one of the most often used illicit drugs by the drug abused and the drug addicted. Opium is an extract from seedpods of the opium poppy, Papaver somniferum. Opium was used for medicinal purposes taken with a beverage or swallowed as a solid in ancient times. Many countries used as the most potent form of pain relief allowing ancient surgeons to perform prolonged surgeries.

Opium is also used as a natural anti-depressant in ancient times. The usage of opium as an anti-depressant is even mentioned in the ancient book, The Odyssey, as the drug which leaves a person who consumed it, without any depression. In some parts of the contemporary Middle East, chilled glasses of poppy tea are served to mourners at funerals to ease their grief.

But the opium is available in black markets these days because of it is made illegal in many countries due to harmful affects of its alkaloids. Morphine is by far the most prevalent and important alkaloid in opium, consisting of 10%-16% of the total, and is responsible for most of its harmful effects such as lung edema, respiratory difficulties, coma, or cardiac or respiratory collapse. Heroin is also one of the most lethal derivatives of opium. Conducting a rapid drug testing for opium by using a drug testing kit is possible these days.

Related Links:

Home drug test

Marijuana drug test

Drug testing kit