Drug specialist attorney, is just growing poppies illegal?

Hello. This is the drug specialist attorney of Daeryun Law Firm (LLC).

First, as a drug specialist attorney, let me say that since poppies are plants classified as narcotics, cultivation itself is legally prohibited regardless of the purpose or reason for cultivation.

As you mentioned, even if cultivated for personal use such as "ornamental" or "folk medicine," there are no exceptions.

In fact, in June 2022, there was a case where a 70-something resident in Chuncheon was caught cultivating poppies in the flower bed of a senior center.

Although the resident claimed they were "grown for ornamental purposes," the court and investigative agencies did not accept this and processed it as a violation of the Narcotics Control Act.

In some island regions and fishing villages of Tongyeong, Gyeongnam, there were also cases where 37 people were caught cultivating poppies for reasons such as "folk medicine or pain relief."

Narcotic plants including poppies are regulated by the Narcotics Control Act.

If caught cultivating, possessing, purchasing, or using without permission, you may be subject to imprisonment of up to 5 years or a fine of up to 50 million won.

Therefore, even if it was for personal purposes, it constitutes a crime legally, so you must be very careful.

For more details, please consult with a drug specialist attorney for specific confirmation.