When someone first hears about Wild Lettuce, they usually begin asking questions.
The first two questions are usually “what the heck is wild opium lettuce?” and “why should I care”?
But, once you understand all the benefits of wild lettuce, more questions come to mind.
“Is it legal,” “how do you find it in the wild” and “how is it processed?”
That’s the goal if this article – to provide you with detailed answers to each of these questions.
Specifically, this article will cover the following topics.
- What Is Wild Lettuce
- The Legality Of Wild Lettuce
- The Applications Of Wild Lettuce
- How To Use Wild Lettuce
- How To Process Wild Lettuce
- Identifying Wild Lettuce In Nature
- How To Grow Wild Lettuce
- Survival Uses For Wild Lettuce
Also read: How To Grow Your Own Antibacterial Bandages
How To Find Natural Medicines In The Wild, And “Survival Home Remedies”
What Is Wild Lettuce
Wild lettuce (also known as Lactuca Virosa) is a plant where the leaves, sap, and seed are used to make medicine.
This medicinal lettuce has been a widely used since ancient Greece.
In 430 BC (2447 years ago) Hippocrates, known as the Father of Modern Medicine, wrote about the pain-relieving effects of the plant’s milky sap.
By the 1800’s, it had reached America. It was widely put to use throughout the Civil War when liquid opium became scarce.
Around the same time, Scientists from Poland noticed that it did not have side effects of the highly addictive drug even though it had opioid effects. They said that the action of it was weaker than the opium’s, however, it was free of the side effects. Medical practice showed that in some cases lactucarium produced better curative effects than opium.
Later, in the 1970’s, wild lettuce again resurged to the forefront of drug use. This time, however, it was not for easing the pain of dying Union soldiers.
The hippie community adopted it and started using it as a legal psychotropic, to get high.
Since then it’s become popular among holistic medicine users as well as survivalists because it grows so readily all around the world.
If you want to learn more about this plant, this video by The Lost Ways is an excellent resource.
The Legality Of Wild Lettuce
Before buying, growing and scouring for wild opium lettuce, you should check on its legality. If it’s essentially a natural opium, you’d assume it would be illegal.
Lucky for us it’s 100% legal in the United States.
It’s an unscheduled substance, according to the FDA. So you’re free to grow, buy, and use as much of the stuff as you want.
Wild Lettuce is uncontrolled in the United States. This means all parts of the plant and its extracts are legal to cultivate, buy, possess, and distribute (sell, trade or give) without a license or prescription. If sold as a supplement, sales must conform to U.S. supplement laws. If sold for consumption as a food or drug, sales are regulated by the FDA.
The Applications of Wild Lettuce
Once you start to understand “what” wild lettuce can do, is when you start realizing just how important it is.
Wild opium lettuce can be used to treat a very vast array of different ailments and health issues.
It’s a super “everything natural drug.” And since it has no adverse or addictive side effects, you can administer it without fear.
Painkiller
Much like opium, this plant is extremely effective at reducing pain. Many equate its pain control to that of ibuprofen or aspirin in this regard.
Here are a few of the more common pain-control uses for wild lettuce:
- arthritis
- painful menstrual cycles in women
- headaches and migraines
- pain from bruises/broken bones/cuts
- even hangovers
Mild Diuretic
Wild opium lettuce can increase a person’s urinary flow. That’s why it is commonly used to treat urinary tract infections and edema.
Sleep and Insomnia Issues
Having trouble falling asleep? Wild lettuce has got you covered.
This natural drug has powerful sedative properties. After a dose or two, you’ll relax which will help you slip straight into a dreamless slumber.
Combine it with a little valerian or Zzzquil, and you can kiss your sleep problems goodbye.
Anxiety and Restlessness
Wild opium lettuce has some significant anxiety reducing and relaxing properties.
The mild sedation calms the nerves and eases tension in the body and mind.
Coughs and Asthma
If you have a chronic cough or asthma trouble, this lettuce plant can help ease your discomfort.
It helps to loosen and expel phlegm from the respiratory tract. Making it easier and more comfortable to breathe.
Recreation
Feeling bored? Want a little something to mix up your human experience?
While it has many medicinal benefits, people often use it to get a wild lettuce high.
Why not? It is non-addictive, it is legal, you can grow it at home easily (so it’s free), and it is non-harmful in mild doses.
Just make sure you are not pregnant or allergic to it.
How To Use Wild Lettuce
Administering wild lettuce is not rocket science. But there are several different ways to do it.
Wild Lettuce Tea
Teas are the most “family-friendly” way to administer it. Most people claim it has a nice taste and tea eases the user into the effects gently.
You can make teas from the concentrate. Or combined with other herbs like chamomile or green tea leaves to give it more (better) flavor.
You can also buy teas online at a reasonable price.
Tinctures
Apply tinctures directly to the skin, or administered to the gums/tongue. These tinctures require wild lettuce extract.
You can find tinctures online. Tinctures are handy because they easily fit inside of packs, pouches, and pockets.
Smoking Wild Lettuce
Smoking wild lettuce results in one of the fastest ways to get the acting effects.
It’s not great for your lungs; so if you’re trying to treat a cough or Asthma, use a tea or tincture instead.
How To Process It
This video also explains in detail how to synthesize wild lettuce leaf extract.
Here’s a summary of the steps in the video:
- Place the leaves of the lettuce into a blender and lightly blend them (not too much).
- Once the leaves are blended, place them in a pot of water and bring it to a boil.
- After the water has turned a dark green, almost brown color take it off the stove.
- Next, strain the leaves from the water by pouring the mixture into another pot through a mesh strainer. Make sure as little of the actual leaf gets through the strainer as possible.
- Squeeze the leftover wild lettuce extract all the water that’s still within.
- Put the dark green water (now empty of leaves) back on the stove and let it simmer. Let all the water boil off until there is only a paste left. This paste is concentrated wild lettuce extract.
- You can pour it into a small medical vial and store it in your bug out bag, medical cabinet, or elsewhere for later use.
Dosing
Because it’s not a standard medicine, the science behind dosing wild lettuce is not set in stone.
It depends on:
- how big you are
- how old you are
- your tolerance level
Note: if you are using it every night, it’s going to take more and more of it to achieve the same effects.
One dosage equation is as follows:
30mg/kg of wild lettuce is equal to 60 mg/kg of ibuprofen
The regular dosage of ibuprofen is about 200 mg every 4-6 hours.
So, with a little bit of math, one can deduce that about 100mg’s of wild lettuce is a solid starting point.
But, it’s different for everyone!
So experiment before you settle on the right dosages for you.
Do so with a modicum of caution because, while it’s a “safe” drug – it’s still a drug.
Taking too much can slow your breathing capacity – which can be dangerous in large doses.
Identifying Wild Lettuce In Nature
The plant is a cousin to the lettuce we eat commonly in our salads.
The plant itself is biennial. Meaning that it takes two full years to complete its biological life-cycle.
It can grow to be at large as 80-inches tall! Not all plants will reach this size, but it is a good thing to know: the stuff can get big.
It’s also stout and has flushed purple leaves and stems. The leaves are broad, oval-shaped, and jagged-edged.
It flowers in North America between July and September. It sprouts round yellow flowers that look like dandelions.
And of course, the defining trait of wild opium lettuce is its sap. The stuff is sticky and milky, and very easy to identify. This is where the medicinal properties come from.
A video does a much better job teaching you how to identify wild lettuce. So watch the video below to help identify opium lettuce in the wild.
How to Grow Wild Lettuce
It’s easy to find wild lettuce seeds online since you can find many varieties of wild lettuce seeds on Amazon.
Once you have got some, sow the seeds in spring or fall, in either pots or flower beds. Place the seeds in a shallow depression and cover lightly with soil. Tamp it gently down to secure the seeds in place.
Maintain the moisture of the soil evenly until your seeds germinate. Germination normally takes between 10 and 20 days to happen. When the seeds sprout, transplant them into separate pots, or space them out in the flower bed by 6 inches.
- give them water
- give them sunlight
- and give them time
Eventually, you’ll have fully grown stalks you can harvest.
Survival Uses For Wild Lettuce
Wild lettuce is an excellent survival resource because of all its uses.
We covered the medical uses above and those are still valid for survival. However, I want to touch on benefits of stockpiling survival lettuce.
In times of economic collapse or a widespread disaster, the world could collapse into lawless chaos. We call this TEOTWAWKI or SHTF, but the bottom line is you may want to prepare for such an event.
Well, wild lettuce would be a resource in very high demand during a period of survival chaos.
If dollars ever become worthless people, will be forced to trade precious metals or goods. The trading of goods is called a barter economy.
You’ll need something with a lot of value to trade with. And growing, processing and distributing wild lettuce would be a smart way to generate a living in dire circumstances.
You’re welcome.
The Final Word
Herbal medicines have been essential since the times of hunter-gatherers. Using simple natural plants to treat illnesses and afflictions is an ancient practice.
Without it, the fate of our race would have been drastically different.
Wild opium lettuce is a potent example of how natural medicines are still useful today.
It’s useful, not only because it treats health ailments, but because it works as a natural substitute for many pharmaceutical medications. Like over the counter pain medications, laxatives, sleep aids, anti-anxiety medications, and others.
And even better, not only is it great for medical purposes but wild opium lettuce also a valuable trade commodity.
If a worst-case widespread disaster situation arises, trade may be one of the only forms of commerce – otherwise known as barter. And a resource as useful as wild opium lettuce will be in high demand.
If you want even more information we recommend you watch this video.
The Most Comprehensive Book Available
Our grandfathers had more knowledge than any of us today and thrived even when modern conveniences were not available. They were able to produce and store their food for long periods of time. All the knowledge our grandfathers had, in one place.Here’s just a glimpse of what you’ll find in the book:
The Lost Ways is a far-reaching book with chapters ranging from simple things like making tasty bark-bread-like people did when there was no food to building a traditional backyard smokehouse… and much, much, much more!
Discover how to survive: Most complete survival tactics, tips, skills and ideas like how to make pemmican, snowshoes, knives, soap, beer, smokehouses, bullets, survival bread, water wheels, herbal poultices, Indian roundhouses, root cellars, primitive navigation, and much more at The Lost Ways
Here’s just a glimpse of what you’ll find in The Lost Ways:
From Ruff Simons, an old west history expert, and former deputy, you’ll learn the techniques and methods used by the wise sheriffs from the frontiers to defend an entire village despite being outnumbered and outgunned by gangs of robbers and bandits, and how you can use their wisdom to defend your home against looters when you’ll be surrounded.
Native American ERIK BAINBRIDGE – who took part in the reconstruction of the native village of Kule Loklo in California, will show you how Native Americans build the subterranean roundhouse, an underground house that today will serve you as a storm shelter, a perfectly camouflaged hideout, or a bunker. It can easily shelter three to four families, so how will you feel if, when all hell breaks loose, you’ll be able to call all your loved ones and offer them guidance and shelter? Besides that, the subterranean roundhouse makes an awesome root cellar where you can keep all your food and water reserves year-round.
From Shannon Azares you’ll learn how sailors from the XVII century preserved water in their ships for months on end, even years and how you can use this method to preserve clean water for your family cost-free.
Mike Searson – who is a Firearm and Old West history expert – will show you what to do when there is no more ammo to be had, how people who wandered the West managed to hunt eight deer with six bullets, and why their supply of ammo never ran out. Remember the panic buying in the first half of 2013? That was nothing compared to what’s going to precede the collapse.
From Susan Morrow, an ex-science teacher and chemist, you’ll master “The Art of Poultice.” She says, “If you really explore the ingredients from which our forefathers made poultices, you’ll be totally surprised by the similarities with modern medicines.” Well…how would you feel in a crisis to be the only one from the group knowing about this lost skill? When there are no more antibiotics, people will turn to you to save their ill children’s lives.
If you liked our video tutorial on how to make Pemmican, then you’ll love this: I will show you how to make another superfood that our troops were using in the Independence war, and even George Washington ate on several occasions. This food never goes bad. And I’m not talking about honey or vinegar. I’m talking about real food! The awesome part is that you can make this food in just 10 minutes and I’m pretty sure that you already have the ingredients in your house right now.
Really, this is all just a peek.
The Lost Ways is a far-reaching book with chapters ranging from simple things like making tasty bark-bread-like people did when there was no food to building a traditional backyard smokehouse… and much, much, much more!
And believe it or not, this is not all…
Table Of Contents:
The Most Important Thing
Making Your Own Beverages: Beer to Stronger Stuff
Ginger Beer: Making Soda the Old Fashioned Way
How North American Indians and Early Pioneers Made Pemmican
Spycraft: Military Correspondence During The 1700’s to 1900’s
Wild West Guns for SHTF and a Guide to Rolling Your Own Ammo
How Our Forefathers Built Their Sawmills, Grain Mills, and Stamping Mills
How Our Ancestors Made Herbal Poultice to Heal Their Wounds
What Our Ancestors Were Foraging For? or How to Wildcraft Your Table
How Our Ancestors Navigated Without Using a GPS System
How Our Forefathers Made Knives
How Our Forefathers Made Snowshoes for Survival
How North California Native Americans Built Their Semi-subterranean Roundhouses
Our Ancestors’Guide to Root Cellars
Good Old Fashioned Cooking on an Open Flame
Learning from Our Ancestors How to Preserve Water
Learning from Our Ancestors How to Take Care of Our Hygiene When There Isn’t Anything to Buy
How and Why I Prefer to Make Soap with Modern Ingredients
Temporarily Installing a Wood-Burning Stove during Emergencies
Making Traditional and Survival Bark Bread…….
Trapping in Winter for Beaver and Muskrat Just like Our Forefathers Did
How to Make a Smokehouse and Smoke Fish
Survival Lessons From The Donner Party
