→Background
| Line 7: | Line 7: | ||
The cultivation of poppy in India for [[Opium]] production started during the [[British Raj]].<ref>{{Cite news|date=2019-09-05|title=How Britain's opium trade impoverished Indians|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-49404024|access-date=2021-03-01}}</ref> It constituted 15% of revenue of [[British Raj]] from [[Colonial India]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Doctor|first=Vikram|title=Union Budget 2012: Opium trade tucked away among the budget papers|work=The Economic Times|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/policy/union-budget-2012-opium-trade-tucked-away-among-the-budget-papers/articleshow/12309921.cms|access-date=2021-03-01}}</ref> The legalized cultivation and management of produce under strict government control continued in India even post independence. | The cultivation of poppy in India for [[Opium]] production started during the [[British Raj]].<ref>{{Cite news|date=2019-09-05|title=How Britain's opium trade impoverished Indians|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-49404024|access-date=2021-03-01}}</ref> It constituted 15% of revenue of [[British Raj]] from [[Colonial India]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Doctor|first=Vikram|title=Union Budget 2012: Opium trade tucked away among the budget papers|work=The Economic Times|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/policy/union-budget-2012-opium-trade-tucked-away-among-the-budget-papers/articleshow/12309921.cms|access-date=2021-03-01}}</ref> The legalized cultivation and management of produce under strict government control continued in India even post independence. | ||
[[Opium poppies|Opium poppy]] (Papaver somniferous) plant is the source of opium gum which contains | [[Opium poppies|Opium poppy]] (Papaver somniferous) plant is the source of opium gum which contains four indispensable alkaloids that are [[Opium]], [[Morphine]], [[Codeine]] and [[Heroin]]. Morphine is the best analgesic in the world. In case of extreme and excruciating pain such as that of terminally ill cancer patients, nothing alleviates the suffering except morphine. Codeine is commonly used in manufacture of cough syrups. | ||
The [[Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985|NDPS act]] empowers the Central Government to permit and regulate cultivation of opium poppy for medical and scientific purposes. The Government of India notifies the tracts where opium cultivation can be licensed as well as the General Conditions for issuance of license every year. These notifications are commonly referred to as Opium Policies. Opium cultivation is permitted in the notified tracts in the states of [[Madhya Pradesh]], [[Rajasthan]] and [[Uttar Pradesh]] The General Conditions, among others, include a Minimum Qualifying Yield (MQY) to be tendered by the cultivators of each of these three states, to be eligible for license in the succeeding year. | The [[Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985|NDPS act]] empowers the Central Government to permit and regulate cultivation of opium poppy for medical and scientific purposes. The Government of India notifies the tracts where opium cultivation can be licensed as well as the General Conditions for issuance of license every year. These notifications are commonly referred to as Opium Policies. Opium cultivation is permitted in the notified tracts in the states of [[Madhya Pradesh]], [[Rajasthan]] and [[Uttar Pradesh]] The General Conditions, among others, include a Minimum Qualifying Yield (MQY) to be tendered by the cultivators of each of these three states, to be eligible for license in the succeeding year. | ||