Page "Papaver somniferum" Paragraph 19

* In the United States, opium is listed as a Schedule II controlled substance by the Drug Enforcement Administration.

In addition, " Opium poppy and poppy straw " are also prohibited.

However, this is not typically enforced for poppies grown or sold for ornamental or food purposes.

Though the opium poppy is legal for culinary or æsthetic reasons, poppies were once grown as a cash crop by farmers in California, the law of poppy cultivation in the United States is somewhat ambiguous.

The reason for the ambiguity is because, now repealed, The Opium Poppy Control Act Of 1942 stated that any opium poppy should be declared illegal, even if the farmers were issued a State permit.

§ 3 of The Opium Poppy Control Act stated: < blockquote style =" font-style: italic ;"> It shall be unlawful for any person who is not the holder of a license authorizing him to produce the opium poppy, duly issued to him by the Secretary of the Treasury in accordance with the provisions of this Act, to produce the opium poppy, or to permit the production of the opium poppy in or upon any place owned, occupied, used, or controlled by him.

This led to the Poppy Rebellion, and to the Narcotics Bureau arresting anyone planting opium poppies and forcing the destruction of poppy fields of anyone who defied the prohibition of poppy cultivation.

Though the press of these days showed favour towards the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, the state of California supported the farmers who grew opium poppies for their seeds.

Today, this area of law has remained vague and remains a controversy in the United States.

The Opium Poppy Control Act of 1942 was repealed on 27 October of the year 1970.