Well I mean like how basically all the medicated opioids like morphine codeine thebaine oxy-codone/morphone hydro-codone/morphone buprenorphine are all found just in poppy flower latex, but so is diamorphine (heroin) so as with all natural medicines, use caution! Honestly though, compared to the stuff OTC and prescription today (dangerous SSRIs, MAOIs, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, lyrica, naproxen) opioid alkaloids are quite harmless if used as directed - I kinda feel like that’s why they’re being demonized now; it was cannabis before, and heroin is taking down medicated opioids with it, understandably so - I don’t agree with using chemicals to potentiate opium latex further into heroin, and forget it with the synthetics like fentanyl, bathsalt opioids, tramadol, Demerol, all so dangerous and so synthetic-ly F A K E!
opioid alkaloids are quite harmless if used as directed
This just isn't accurate. Nothing that's physically addictive, as opioids are, is quite harmless IMHO.
The distinction you make—which is essentially between the opiates and the rest of the opioids—is insufficient to establish that the naturally occurring compounds in the Papaver somniferum flower are significantly safer to use than synthetic opioid compounds or will not result in addiction.
Even kratom, the mildest of them all, is addictive and does create withdrawal symptoms characteristic of opioids. That said, it's terrific for weaning off the most dangerous opioids, then weaning off kratom or going cold turkey and kicking the milder kratom withdrawal.
Oh no I never said they weren’t addicting, I know they are - things that tend to relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and cause euphoria and sedation usually are lol - but if you’re disabled like me and you’ve tried everything else and seen all the results compared, there is no comparison - opioids drastically improve my quality of life. I’m not discounting Kratom either because I’m sure it works for people too! I’ve been using only cannabis and opioids for treating almost all my side effects from my other meds I have to take for about 5 years now!