This piece seeks to show the dichotomy between plant vs synthetic drugs, the harmful view that synthetically-made drugs are worse than "natural" or plant-based drugs - but the main reason synthetic products exist is to avoid law enforcement (the iron law of prohibition: the harder you enforce drug laws, the smaller and stronger the drugs become). The opium poppy plants illustrated in such vivid, layered colours describes the toxicity in the drug supply, the killer potential around every corner unless people can know what they're taking.
