OpiumWhat it is, and why it is the origin of the whole opioid family

12What is opium?

Opium is a natural substance extracted from the opium poppy, whose scientific name is Papaver somniferum. When the unripe capsules of the plant are scored, a milky white sap oozes out, which solidifies on contact with air into a sticky brown mass. This mass is raw opium.

Opium is a mixture of dozens of natural compounds called alkaloids, the most important being morphine, which gives opium most of its pain-relieving and narcotic effect. That is why opium is considered the “mother” from which the whole opioid family came, both natural and semi-synthetic.

Opium differs from the poppy seeds used in baking; the seeds themselves are not considered a narcotic, although their surface may carry trace amounts of alkaloids.

13What is opium made of?

The proportions of its components vary with the type of plant, where it is grown and how it is harvested, but the most important alkaloids in it are:

Because the proportion of morphine varies greatly from one piece to another, a person who uses opium never knows the true strength of what they are taking, and this is one reason it is so dangerous. Learn more about morphine and codeine.

14How did opium go from an ancient medicine to a banned drug?

1. About 3400 BC
   Mesopotamia

   The poppy was cultivated in southern ancient Iraq, and the Sumerians called it the “joy plant”; knowledge of it then passed to the Assyrians and the ancient Egyptians.

2. The Middle Ages and after
   The Silk Road

   Opium spread across Asia as far as China, and in the 19th century it became linked to the Opium Wars.

3. 1803
   Extraction of morphine

   Morphine was isolated from opium for the first time, making it possible to use the active substance instead of the raw sap.

4. 1874 – 1898
   The arrival of heroin

   Heroin was made from morphine and launched as a medicine before it became clear that it was even more addictive.

5. The 20th century
   International control

   Opium and its derivatives came under international conventions that limit their use to medical and scientific purposes.

15How does opium affect the brain and body?

The morphine and codeine in opium act on opioid receptors in the brain, spinal cord and gut, the same receptors on which the body’s natural endorphins act. This produces several effects:

• Pain relief: it strongly reduces the sensation of pain, which made opium a popular remedy for pain throughout history.
• In the reward circuits: it raises dopamine, causing a feeling of comfort, warmth and euphoria, followed by drowsiness and lethargy.
• In the brainstem: it depresses the breathing and cough centers, which is what can kill in an overdose.
• In the gut: it slows movement and causes constipation, an effect once used to treat diarrhea.
• With repeated use: the brain adapts, so tolerance and then physical dependence develop, and the person needs a larger amount for the same effect.

16Is opium “natural” and less dangerous than other drugs?

In some communities, including some rural areas, there is a belief that opium is less harmful because it is “from a plant” or because it has traditionally been used across generations to relieve pain or to endure hard labor. But a substance being natural does not mean it is safe; opium contains the same morphine used in hospitals, with no control over its strength or purity.

17What is the difference between opium, morphine, codeine and heroin?

Read more about heroin, and why it is so strong and so quickly addictive.

18Does opium have a medical use today?

Raw opium is no longer used in modern medicine because its strength varies and is hard to control, but the alkaloids extracted from it are still essential medicines: morphine for severe pain, codeine in some cough medicines and painkillers, and thebaine as a raw material for making other opioid medicines. These medicines are produced under strict international control and are dispensed by prescription only.

19What is the legal status of opium in Egypt?

Opium is a prohibited substance in Egypt under Law No. 182 of 1960 on drug control and its amendments. The law criminalizes possessing, using and trafficking it, and also criminalizes cultivating the poppy plant. The Fund for Drug Control and Treatment of Addiction provides free, confidential treatment through hotline 16023, alongside specialized centers.

This is general educational information and not legal advice.

20What should a family do if they discover opium use?

• Do not treat it as an innocent traditional habit: even if it is common in the surrounding environment, this is dependence on an opioid that needs an assessment.
• Talk calmly and without accusation: focus on concern for his health, not on blame.
• Do not ask him to stop suddenly on his own: especially if he is elderly or has heart or lung disease; stopping needs a medical plan.
• Watch out for mixing: sedatives, pregabalin and alcohol with opium can be fatal.
• Ask for a specialist assessment: treatment is available and effective, and the earlier it starts, the easier it is.

21Opium guide: everything you need to know

We have gathered everything about opium into 6 pages, each answering one question in detail. Choose what you are looking for:

22Opium and opioids in numbers

Sources: the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), and the World Drug Report 2025 issued by UNODC.