Smokeable O is also easier to store and has a long shelf life. The alkaloids in papaver somniferum are present in the plant their pure form, and are combined with so called vegetable acids. Combined with acids, alkaloids tend to be more soluble than the free bases. An early method for the extraction of morphine involved addition of calcium chloride to the filtrate of opium 'soup'. The calcium would precipitate the calcium salt of these vegetable acids as a sort of soap scum leaving a crude morphine hydrochloride.
Opium varies in alkaloidal content from batch to batch, and between regions.
I've found that yields decrease as the temperature rises. Another method is to slice the seed heads and wipe the opium onto cigarette papers. You can pull the dried opium latex away from the paper to store in airtight bags at a latter stage. I've found opium is best stored in a dry environment- can't remember whether its hygroscopic or not, but keep it dry for best results. In a large harvest two layers of extract will form from the opium seepage.