Corrigendum to “Isolation and identification of unique marker compounds from the Tasmanian poppy Papaver somniferum N. Implications for the identification of illicit heroin of Tasmanian origin” [Forensic Sci. Int. 175 (2008) 202–208]

The corresponding author wishes to inform readers of FSI, that as a result of discussions with the Tasmanian Poppy Advisory and Control Board (PACB), and subsequent investigations that the analysis described in the above article does not accurately reflect the current state of the Tasmanian poppy industry. Accordingly, the corresponding author urges extreme caution in the use and citation of this work.

Notwithstanding the above, the isolation and characterization of products from the treatment of oripavine with acetic anhydride are correct.

Clarification

This work was originally conducted in 2001/02 at which time the Tasmanian licit narcotic raw material industry was introducing the ‘non-morphine’ Papaver somniferum (PSN) cultivar, reducing the morphine content to ca 0.05% rendering heroin production problematic. The first planting of the PSN cultivar was in the 1996/7 season and accounted for 500ha (of 20,000) and planting increased at a rate of 50–100% pa and in 2001 accounted for 60% in 2001 [1]. It is the understanding of the corresponding author that the samples examined were produced prior to 1995, and thus predate the introduction of the PSN cultivar, and hence do not accurately represent the current state of the Tasmanian licit narcotic raw material industry. Today the PSN cultivar accounts for over 69% of the Tasmanian licit narcotic raw material industry production.

As a consequence of the above, the corresponding author wishes readers to refer to the modified abstract and comments below and, heed the concerns raised with respect to the synthesis and profiling of Tasmanian heroin. We propose working with Tasmanian Alkalods towards a detailed examination of the acetylation of authenticated samples of the PSN cultivar and with the assistance of FSI will report on these finding in due course. It is our expectations that the synthesis of heroin via this low morphine cultivar will prove difficult.

New abstract

Tasmanian poppies account for 25% of the world's legal supply of concentrate of poppy straw. The most prevalent variety of poppy now grown in Tasmania contains the alkaloids thebaine and oripavine with only low concentrations of morphine. While, there is no evidence to suggest that heroin has ever been produced from Tasmanian poppies, derivatives formed from acetylation of oripavine could theoretically serve as marker compounds. Treatment of oripavine (500mg) under Thiboumery and Mohr heroin processing conditions, followed by simple evaporative workup afforded 613mg of a dark orange residue, which upon extensive chromatographic purification yielded oripavine 3-acetate (2) 22mg; 3-acetyl-N-acetyldesthebaine (3) 35mg; 3-acetyl-6-methoxy-4,5-epoxyphenanthrene (4) 5.8mg; 3,4-diacetyl-6-methoxyphenanthrene (5) 27mg; and 3,4,6-methoxy-5-[2(N-methylacetamido)]ethylphenanthrene (6) 52mg.

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In 1998–99, sufficient flower pods (66,013) were stolen with the potential to produce ca 500kg of heroin. The distribution of PSL versus PSN in these stolen flower pods was not reported.

Should be read as:

Tasmanian poppies account for 25% of the world's legal supply of concentrate of poppy straw (CPS), and in 1998–99 ca 66,000 flower pods were stolen of which ca 47,500 were subsequently recovered. The distribution of PSL versus PSN in these stolen flower pods was not reported. There is no evidence to suggest that heroin has ever been produced from Tasmanian poppies.

Remainder text

The data presented in the above article relates to the synthesis and profiling of acetylated oripavine products. Any suggestion that seized samples of illicitly produced heroin were confirmed as being derived from Tasmanian poppy materials is not supported by the experimental methodology and is therefore withdrawn. Accordingly, the corresponding author urges extreme caution in the use and citation of this work.