Scientists Have Figured Out a Way to Brew Opiates from Yeast

Scientists in California and Canada have created yeast capable of turning sugar to opiates, PBS reports. The researchers published their findings in Nature Chemical Biology.

Traditionally, opiates such as morphine, codeine, and heroin come from poppy seeds and are processed by a series of enzymes to yield opiates, but this new yeast might allow manufacturers to bypass those steps. Though as of now only a small amount of opium can be created through this new process, the researchers behind the yeast are optimistic that they can develop follow-ups that produce high amounts of opium within two to three years.

This is great news for the medical community, as well as the drug dealing and distribution community. In an op-ed accompanying the findings, MIT political scientist Kenneth Oye urged scientists to take steps to make it difficult for the black market to replicate or outright steal this miracle morphine yeast.

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