Certified Addiction Counselor (CAC) Practice

What are naturally occurring psychoactive chemicals derived from?

1. Opium poppy

2. Coca leaves

3. Hemp plants

4. Mushrooms

The correct answer is: Opium poppy

The correct answer focuses on opium poppy as a source of naturally occurring psychoactive chemicals, primarily due to its production of opiates. The opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) contains various alkaloids, such as morphine and codeine, which have potent psychoactive properties and are used extensively in medicine for their analgesic effects. These naturally derived substances have a long history of use in pain management and are also associated with potential for abuse and addiction, highlighting their significance in the context of addiction counseling. Other options, while they also contain psychoactive substances, are not primarily associated with the production of naturally occurring psychoactive chemicals in the same historical and pharmacological context as the opium poppy. Coca leaves, for instance, are used to produce cocaine, and hemp plants are notable for their cannabinoids like THC but are less focused on in the realm of traditional medical psychoactive usage in the same way as opiates from opium poppy. Mushrooms, particularly those containing psilocybin, do have psychoactive properties but are not traditionally classified alongside the major categories that include opiates. Thus, the opium poppy stands out distinctly in this context as a critical source.