The licensing policy is announced annually under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Rules, 1985, framed under the NDPS Act, 1985.
About Opium
- Opium poppy plant is the source of opium gum which contains several indispensable alkaloids (naturally occurring organic nitrogen-containing compounds) such as morphine, codeine and thebaine.
- Morphine is commonly used analgesic (pain relieving medicine) while codeine is used in manufacture of cough syrups.
- It is also grown as a source of edible seed and seed oil.
- India is the only country authorised by the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (1961) to produce gum opium.
- 11 other countries cultivate opium poppy, but do not extract gum.
Opium Cultivation in India
- NDPS Act empowers the Central Government to permit and regulate cultivation of opium poppy for medical and scientific purposes.
- Under NDPS, central government notifies the tracts where opium cultivation can be licensed as well as the general conditions for issuance of license every year.
- Opium cultivation is permitted in notified tracts in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
- Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN), Gwalior (under Ministry of Finance) issues licenses to the farmers to cultivate opium poppy.
- The cultivators are required to tender their entire opium produced to the CBN and price is decided by the Government.
