ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Opium Season

Opium season is a time when people grow plants called poppies and collect a sticky brown substance called opium from them. This usually happens in countries like Afghanistan, where it is legal to grow poppies for medicine or illegal drugs. During opium season, farmers plant poppy seeds in their fields and wait for the plants to grow and bloom with pretty purple or pink flowers.

Once the flowers fall off, farmers make a cut in the poppy pod and a sticky substance comes out called opium. They collect the opium and let it dry in the sun. This dried opium can be used to make medicine, such as painkillers, or illegal drugs like heroin.

Opium season is important for many people in these countries because it is a way for them to make money and support their families. However, it can also lead to problems like addiction and illegal drug trade. So, while opium season may seem like a fun time for collecting a cool substance from plants, it is actually a very serious issue with lots of consequences, both good and bad.