This plant is native to Mexico, the West Indies, Southern and Western United States, and has been naturalized in Brazil, India, Africa, and other subtropical and tropical places.

The seeds of this plant yield a large quantity of a pale-yellow latex ooze. The latex is considered a narcotic. the herb has traditionally been used as a sedative tea or smoke.

It has been used as a smuging herb the the Natives of the western US and parts of Mexico.

King’s American Dispensatory, 1898: 'From the capsules and leaves a small quantity of morphine was obtained by Charbonnier, in 1868. It is also believed to contain sanguinarine. The oil has been proposed for use in painting. The flowers have soporific properties (De Candolle). Emetic, purgative, anodyne, and narcotic. The juice in its acrimonious qualities resembles gamboge. The oil is useful in flatulent colic, with atony of the bowels and constipation; also in headache. From 10 to 20 drops of the oil mildly purges; larger doses act as an emetic and hydragogue cathartic. The herb in infusion is diaphoretic.'

Sold for experimental, decorative, aromatic, collectable, religious and research purposes, not for ingestion.