Codeine vs. Opium — What's the Difference?

Codeine is an opiate and prodrug of morphine used to treat pain, coughing, and diarrhea. It is found naturally in the sap of the opium poppy, Papaver somniferum.

Opium (or poppy tears, scientific name: Lachryma papaveris) is dried latex obtained from the seed capsules of the opium poppy Papaver somniferum. Approximately 12 percent of opium is made up of the analgesic alkaloid morphine, which is processed chemically to produce heroin and other synthetic opioids for medicinal use and for the illegal drug trade.

An alkaloid narcotic, C18H21NO3, derived from opium or morphine and used as a cough suppressant, analgesic, and hypnotic.

A bitter, yellowish-brown, strongly addictive narcotic drug prepared from the dried latex of unripe pods of the opium poppy and containing alkaloids such as morphine, codeine, and papaverine.

(pharmaceutical drug) An addictive alkaloid narcotic derived from opium and used as a hypnotic, analgesic and antitussive; often mixed with aspirin etc.

Something that numbs or stupefies.

One of the opium alkaloids; a white crystalline substance, C18H21NO3, similar to and regarded as a derivative of morphine, but much feebler in its action; - called also codeia.

(uncountable) A yellow-brown, addictive narcotic drug obtained from the dried juice of unripe pods of the opium poppy, Papaver somniferum, and containing alkaloids such as morphine, codeine, and papaverine.

Derivative of opium; used as an antitussive (to relieve coughing) and an analgesic (to relive pain)

Anything that numbs or stupefies.

The inspissated juice of the Papaver somniferum, or white poppy.

An addictive narcotic extracted from seed capsules of the opium poppy