Over here opium poppies are grown on a small scale in the south of the country, to partially supply the requirement for opiate based drugs in the country. They make a useful break crop on an arable farm, the growing is regulated and fields are restricted to those with no public access. Apparently they are quite tricky to grow well. The heads are harvested before they are fully ripe, the seed capsule and top few inches of stem are combined, the seeds winnowed out and go for bread making etc, the green parts are taken and the opiates extracted using solvents such as acetone.
Around East Anglia hemp (Cannabis sativa) is grown: again regulated, a Home Office licence is needed, only low THC forms are allowed to be grown and the level of THC is monitored; too much and it's bonfire time. Hemp was a traditional crop in the UK for many centuries before dying out in the late 19th, early 20th century. It was revived in East Anglia in the 80's it makes a useful break crop, the fibre can be used for rope, cloth and quality paper, the seed goes for hemp oil; waste from this is used for animal food. The soft centre (pith) of the stem goes for animal bedding; especially for animals with allergy problems.
I still have it.
