Society

Opium trees illegal for pigs, too

(China Daily)
Updated: 2006-08-22 09:03

A farmer from Zhejiang Province never knew that he could be jailed for cultivating opium poppy trees in his backyard to feed his pigs.

Last Thursday, Su was summoned to court because police discovered he had planted over 1,000 poppy trees at his backyard. As its seeds are essential to making opium, planting the tree is strictly banned in the country.

Although Su explained that he bought the seeds last year for cultivation in order to treat diarrhea in his four pigs, he still could face severe punishment.

Today Morning Post