Attorney, is simply growing poppies also illegal?

Hello. I am an attorney specializing in narcotics cases at Daeryun Law LLC.

First, as an attorney specializing in narcotics, let me explain that the poppy is a plant classified as a narcotic, so its cultivation itself is legally prohibited regardless of the purpose or reason for growing it.

As you mentioned, even if they are grown for personal use, such as “ornamental” or “folk remedy” purposes, there is no exception.

In fact, in June 2022, there was a case in which a resident in their 70s was caught growing poppies in the flower bed of a senior center in Chuncheon.

The resident claimed to have “grown them for ornamental purposes,” but the court and the investigative agency did not accept this and treated it as a violation of the Narcotics Control Act.

There was also a case in some island areas and fishing villages of Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, in which 37 people were cracked down on for growing poppies on the grounds of “folk remedies or pain relief.”

Narcotic plants, including poppies, are regulated under the Narcotics Control Act.

If a person is caught cultivating, possessing, purchasing, or using them without permission, they may be punished by imprisonment for up to 5 years or a fine of up to 50 million won.

Therefore, even if it was for a personal purpose, it constitutes a crime under the law, so great caution is required.

For detailed matters, please check specifically through a consultation with an attorney specializing in narcotics.