Opium

Under United States federal law, opium, opiates, and their salts, compounds, derivatives, and preparations are listed in Schedule II unless specifically excepted or listed in another schedule; the rule expressly includes granulated opium, opium extracts, opium fluid, powdered opium, raw opium, and tincture of opium. Qualifying combination preparations containing no more than 500 milligrams of opium per 100 milliliters or 100 grams, or no more than 25 milligrams per dosage unit, together with one or more active nonnarcotic ingredients in recognized therapeutic amounts are listed in Schedule III. Qualifying preparations containing no more than 100 milligrams of opium per 100 milliliters or 100 grams, with one or more nonnarcotic active medicinal ingredients in sufficient proportion to confer valuable medicinal qualities beyond those of the narcotic alone, are listed in Schedule V. Federal law prohibits knowing or intentional unauthorized possession, manufacture, distribution, dispensing, and possession with intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense; the possession prohibition does not apply when the substance is obtained directly from, or pursuant to a valid prescription or order from, a practitioner acting in the course of professional practice, or when possession is otherwise authorized.

Opium is expressly listed in Schedule I, item 1(1), of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act under the entry for the Opium Poppy (Papaver somniferum), its preparations, derivatives, alkaloids and salts; the Act has been in force since May 14, 1997. Except as authorized under the regulations, the Act prohibits possession, import, export, possession for export and production; it also prohibits trafficking and possession for trafficking except under regulatory authority. The Narcotic Control Regulations separately include opium under the same poppy-family entry and provide the regulated narcotic channel without altering its Schedule I status. Unauthorized possession is punishable on indictment by up to seven years' imprisonment, with summary-conviction limits of a fine of up to $1,000 and/or six months for a first offence and up to $2,000 and/or one year for a subsequent offence; trafficking, possession for trafficking, unauthorized import or export, possession for export and unauthorized production are indictable offences punishable by life imprisonment.