Are all varieties of poppy seeds edible, and are the opium variety devoid of any intoxicating effect?
Most poppy seeds that you can buy for baking are in fact from opium poppies. Hypothetically, you could plant ordinary poppy seeds in your yard and have a crop of opium in a couple months. Poppy seeds themselves do not contain opium or morphine or anything else that can get you high. Opium comes from the skin of the seed pods, not the seeds themselves. Of course, sometimes the seeds can become coated in the opium latex.. but in most cases, the seeds are washed before being distributed. If you are using poppy seeds for baking, it’s best to rinse them a few times before use. If there is still opium residue on them, they will have a very bitter taste. Also, poppy seeds are not “burned” before being distributed. They are naturally that color. Although some varieties are lighter and others have a dark blueish color too them.
