罌粟（學名：Papaver somniferum），即鴉片罌粟（英語：Opium poppy），是罌粟科植物，是製取鴉片的主要原料，同時其提取物也是多種鎮靜劑的來源，如嗎啡、蒂巴因、可待因、罌粟鹼、那可汀。學名「somniferum」的意思是「催眠」，反映出其具有麻醉性。罌粟的種子罌粟籽是重要的食物產品，其中含有對健康有益的油脂，可用於麵包、餅乾中烘焙，或製成醬料，使用於沙拉中，也可製成罌粟籽油。而罌粟花絢爛華美，是一種很有價值的觀賞植物。
因罌粟擁有製作毒品的危險性，卻又有製作藥物及生產罌粟籽的價值，故在世界很多國家以法律規範化地種植，未經許可種植者視為犯罪行為。
東南亞唯一內陸國家寮國過去數十年來在金三角毒品貿易中扮演重要角色。為了協助寮國擺脫罌粟種植，聯合國毒品和犯罪問題辦公室在靠近越南邊界的華潘省10個原本種植罌粟的村子，推展咖啡豆種植計劃。
華潘省肥沃的高原土壤和涼爽氣候適合鴉片主要原料罌粟生長，也適於種植咖啡豆。聯合國希望咖啡豆種植計劃不但能助當地生產咖啡豆，還希望進一步將其打造成一種「奢華」咖啡品牌，外銷到韓國、日本，甚至遠至美國的富裕市場。
寮國的罌粟種植地2015年估計約為5700公頃，這比2007年時擴大超過兩倍。越南今年粉碎了多起重大的生鴉片和海洛因走私案，落網的走私犯來自寮國最邊緣化的族群——苗族。
聯合國毒品和犯罪問題辦公室人員法爾希說：「這些農民來自寮國最貧困地區，他們能種植的只有經濟價值低的農作物，開發新市場和獲取科技的機會也非常有限。他們希望擺脫貧窮但卻走投無路。」
苗族農民莫蘇瓦說，以前除了種植罌粟，沒有其他選擇，但其實種罌粟賺的錢很少，如今他改種咖啡豆，預料年底會有收成。
2006年，寮國政府宣布禁止國內種植罌粟，但山區部落仍暗地裡繼續種植，一是為了自用，二是為了出口外銷。除了種罌粟，一些部落村民也為犯罪集團運毒。
寮國禁毒局常任秘書孔維英通受訪時說：「這些偏遠邊境地區的人民非常窮。他們沒受過什麼教育，也不懂法律，所以他們很容易上當，被騙去走私毒品。」
31 hectares of opium poppiescleared in Oudomxay
Oudomxay provincialauthorities recently destroyed31 hectares of opium poppiesgrowing in Xay district andeducated local people aboutthe dangers of drugs.The province’s PublicSecurity Department saidthe poppies were found inSensouvan, Huanambak andSenlath villages and weregrown by nine families.The crop was also foundin Yaoyai and Laova villageand was being cultivated by27 families.Four families were alsogrowing poppies in Huaymorkand Vangyan villages and twofamilies in Nangam village.Authorities destroyed poppiesin 43 locations, amounting to31.68 hectares in total.Last month, police in Nalae district, Luang Namthadistrict, teamed up with localauthorities to clear 12 hectaresof opium poppies growing inTakou and Talouy villages.The families who weregrowing the poppies wereinformed about the dangersof drugs and encouraged togrow alternative, legal crops,according to police.Last year, Luang Namthaauthorities cleared 106hectares of opium poppiesgrowing in 14 villages.The poppies were foundin the districts of LuangNamtha, Sing, Long andViengphoukha. 1.2 hectaresof opium poppies were beingcultivated in Suanya village,Luang Namtha district. Theplants were 50-60 centimetreshigh and were alreadyflowering.In 2012, the UnitedNations Office on Drugs andCrime (UNODC) reportedthat opium cultivation wason the increase again afterLaos had declared the cropto be virtually eliminatedin 2006.In 1998, almost 27,000hectares of opium poppieswere under cultivation inLaos. This was reduced to1,500 hectares in 2006 butsince then there has been asteady increase in the numberof poppy plantations.The bulk of Laos』 opiumis consumed locally. Thefour northern provinces thatborder Myanmar, China andVietnam are where mostpoppy cultivation occurs.A UNODC report namedPhongsaly, Luang Namtha,Huaphan and Luang Prabangas the places where poppiesare most likely to be grown.