Heroin is a processed, illegal drug made from morphine, which is a natural substance extracted from the seed pod of the opium poppy plant (Papaver somniferum). It does not grow as heroin itself, but is manufactured in hidden laboratories from the harvested opium. 

The primary regions where opium poppies are grown for illicit heroin production are:

• Southeast Asia in the area known as the “Golden Triangle”, primarily in Myanmar (Burma), which is currently the world’s largest opium producer, also including parts of Laos and Thailand.
• Southwest Asia in the “Golden Crescent”, historically centered in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Turkey. Although Afghanistan saw a significant drop in cultivation in 2023 due to a Taliban ban, it was previously the world’s largest producer and has historically supplied the majority of the European market.
• Latin America, with major cultivation sites in Mexico and Colombia. Mexican black tar and brown powdered heroin are the predominant types found in the United States, particularly in the western U.S., while Colombian heroin has historically been more prevalent in the eastern U.S.. 

The production of heroin occurs on small plots, often by impoverished farmers in remote, rugged, and sometimes conflict-ridden regions of the world. 

Heroin is derived from morphine, a natural substance extracted from the sap of the 

opium poppy plant(Papaver somniferum). These poppies are cultivated in several regions worldwide, with illicit production concentrated in specific areas known as the Golden Triangle, the Golden Crescent, and various parts of Latin America. 

The primary regions where opium poppies for illicit heroin production are grown include:

• Myanmar (Burma) Myanmar has recently become the world’s largest opium producer, surpassing Afghanistan. It is part of the “Golden Triangle,” which also includes parts of Laos and Thailand.
• Afghanistan Historically a major global supplier, Afghanistan’s opium cultivation has fluctuated significantly due to political and social factors, including a recent ban imposed by the Taliban that dramatically reduced production in 2023.
• Mexico Mexican opium poppies are grown primarily along the spine of the Sierra Madre mountain range, including the states of Sinaloa, Chihuahua, Durango, Guerrero, and Oaxaca. Mexico is the main source of the black tar and brown powdered heroin prevalent in the United States.
• Colombia Opium poppies are also grown in the Andean mountain range in Colombia, with most of the heroin produced there destined for U.S. markets.
• Pakistan and Turkey These countries are part of the “Golden Crescent” region (which includes Afghanistan) and have historically been areas of opium production. 

It is important to note that the opium produced in these areas is then processed into morphine base and subsequently into heroin in clandestine laboratories, often within the same regions or along trafficking routes.