Danish tourist dies from drinking poppy tea

Third deadly cuppa in Tasmania in the past three years

Feb 17, 2014

A 26-year-old Danish tourist has died in Tasmania from drinking tea brewed from poppies. According to local authorities, the dead man was found in a motorhome at about 9am local time.

The dead man’s travelling companion reported the death to the police. The two were camping in Oatlands, located 80 kilometres north of Hobart, Tasmania’s largest city and capital.

Police also said that 40 poppy-heads had been reported stolen from a nearby farm. They were probably steeped to make the deadly brew.

“To have this young man die during an overseas trip is a tragedy for his family and friends,” Sergeant Nick Preshaw from Oatlands Police told ABC News Australia.

A deadly taste
Keith Rice from the local poppy growers association called the death a tragedy, but said that the risks of drinking poppy tea are well known.

“It illustrates risks that we have pointed out for a long time,” Rice told ABC News Australia. “It is highly dangerous to use poppies to make drinks.”

Tasmania’s poppy fields produces half of the world's poppies – a yield that is worth half a billion kroner annually.

“This death is a sad reminder that the narcotic substance found in poppies is extremely dangerous and can be fatal,” said Preshaw.

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