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The '''Opium poppy''' (''Papaver somniferum'' "the sleep-bringing poppy") is used in the manufacture of [[opiate]]s such as [[morphine]], [[codeine]],and [[heroin]], while its seeds are used as a food item, often sprinkled on baked goods. It is also grown in some European countries as a purely ornamental plant. Possession of any part of non-low morphine Papaver somniferum other than the seed is illegal in the [[United States]] and the plant is listed as a Schedule II controlled substance by the [[Drug Enforcement Administration]].<ref>Drug Scheduling #9650 [http://www.dea.gov/pubs/scheduling.html DEA] Accessed July 16 2007</ref>

The '''Opium poppy''' (''Papaver somniferum'' "the sleep-bringing poppy") is used in the manufacture of [[opiate]]s such as [[morphine]], [[codeine]],and [[heroin]], while its seeds are used as a food item, often sprinkled on baked goods. It is also grown in some European countries as a purely ornamental plant. Possession of any part of non-low morphine Papaver somniferum other than the seed is illegal in the [[United States]] and the plant is listed as a Schedule II controlled substance by the [[Drug Enforcement Administration]].<ref>Drug Scheduling #9650 [http://www.dea.gov/pubs/scheduling.html DEA] Accessed July 16 2007</ref>

In the [[United Kingdom]], the [[Home Office]] has granted pharmaceutical company Macfarlan Smith a licence to harvest the poppies and extract the opiate compounds, and they are now grown as a [[cash crop]] by [[English]] farmers in [[Oxfordshire]], [[Northamptonshire]] and [[Lincolnshire]] to combat a critical shortage of morphine in [[National Health Service]] hospitals.<ref>'''Phillips, Rhodri and Wigmore, Barry''' ''The painkilling fields'' [http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/pages/live/mail_on_sunday/home.html?in_page_id=1964 Mail on Sunday] July 15 2007; accessed July 16 2007</ref> Worldwide, there is an acute shortage of opium poppy-based medicines, which are on the [[World Health Organization|World Health Organization's]] list of essential medicinal drugs. Illegal opium growth in [[Afghanistan]] has been used to fund [[terrorism]]and supply 90% of the worlds heroin.<ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/01/AR2006120101654.html</ref> Some groups are calling for the legalization of opium in Afghanistan to curb the worlds morphine shortage.<ref>http://www.senliscouncil.net/modules/media_centre/news_releases/43_news</ref>  

In the [[United Kingdom]], the [[Home Office]] has granted pharmaceutical company Macfarlan Smith a licence to harvest the poppies and extract the opiate compounds, and they are now grown as a [[cash crop]] by [[English]] farmers in [[Oxfordshire]], [[Northamptonshire]] and [[Lincolnshire]] to combat a critical shortage of morphine in [[National Health Service]] hospitals.<ref>'''Phillips, Rhodri and Wigmore, Barry''' ''The painkilling fields'' [http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/pages/live/mail_on_sunday/home.html?in_page_id=1964 Mail on Sunday] July 15 2007; accessed July 16 2007</ref> Worldwide, there is an acute shortage of opium poppy-based medicines, which are on the [[World Health Organization|World Health Organization's]] list of essential medicinal drugs. Illegal opium growth in [[Afghanistan]] has been used to fund [[terrorism]] and supply 90% of the worlds heroin.<ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/01/AR2006120101654.html</ref> Some groups are calling for the legalization of opium in Afghanistan to curb the worlds morphine shortage.<ref>http://www.senliscouncil.net/modules/media_centre/news_releases/43_news</ref>  

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