The Impact of Drugs in Peru

ALERT: Opium or poppy seed

The name of the plant used for the production of drugs such as opium and heroin is papaver somniferun, usually named poppy seed or opium, which has an annual cycle and is 0.5 to 1.5 m high, with dented or lobular leaves and whose flowers vary from white to pink, and from red to purple; its seeds are small. It grows well on warm and warm-moderate climates during spring and summer. From the small capsules of this plant is extracted a milk-like juice or latex that when in contact with the air forms a dark crust known as opium, from which morphine, heroin, and other sub-products are extracted.

The geographical distribution of this crop shows that it grows very well in the regions of Afghanistan, Burma, China, Egypt, Greece, India, Iran, Japan, Korea, Laos, Manchuria, Pakistan, Thailand, Turkey, Russia, Vietnam; and in America: Mexico, Guatemala, Panama, Colombia, and presently in Peru.

The production of the poppy or opium plant was introduced in Peru some years ago. In this country, at least to types of poppy are being cultivated, one is dark red, and the other pink, with a different latex yield and opium contents which depends on the time of planting, production areas and cultural practices. The average yield is from 10 to 12 flowers per plant and eight kilograms of latex per hectare.

Presently, there are poppy plantations in small areas in the departments of San Martin, Amazonas, Huanuco and Cajamarca. Nevertheless, these are basically centers related to the present moment, because only on-going moving makes possible the permanence of this activity due to police and armed forces campaigns for the control of chemical inputs supply, drug production and transportation in different routes to international markets.

Planting poppy may be attractive for farmers because of its market high price, added to other benefits.

· 1 hectare of poppy produces 8 kilograms of Opium.
· 10 kilograms of Opium produce 1 kilo of Morphine.
· 1 kilogram of Morphine produces 1 kilogram of heroin.
· Poppy plantations produce two crops per year.
· Needs less chemical inputs than cocaine for processing.

CEDRO´s last study on consumption (2,003) shows that for the first time heroin cases have been detected, that even though the numbers are not significant it's a warning on this new type of consumption in the country.

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