Wild Lettuce Effects & Benefits

Historically, herbal medicines were the only thing at our disposal when we suffered from injuries and illness. The emergence of modern medicine has drugged us into forgetting how accessible many of these herbs are.

For example, Lactuca virosa or wild lettuce is a natural remedy that grows throughout North America and England, making it an accessible painkiller to substitute the chemicals often advertised.

It’s a leafy and tall plant, with small yellow buds, and could be grown right out your door. It’s also referred to as bitter lettuce, or more appropriately for the purpose discussed here, opium lettuce.

The reason it’s referred to as opium lettuce, is due to the pain relieving and sedative effects that it has been known to produce through a white substance found in the stem and leaves.

This milky substance is called lactucarium. And, while it doesn’t contain any opiates, it has similar side effects when used –  it acts directly on the central nervous system (CNS) to lessen the feeling of pain, just like morphine.

Even though it seems to be the best kept secret, it has a history of being used as an alternative to pain relief.

Back in the 19th century, wild lettuce was already being used by some as a substitute to opium. But, it was in the 70’s that it started to gain significant popularity by those wanting a more natural remedy. Individuals were starting to use it for both pain relief, as well as recreational purpose.

In the earlier days, people using wild lettuce prepared it a couple different ways. One way was to cook the plant in a pan of water and sugar mix, until it reduced to a thick syrup-like consistency. While this was an effective form, it was quite bitter even with the sugar added. The most common form however, was drying the stem and leaves to use as an herbal tea.

The tea remains popular today. But, it’s also being dried for smoking, or vaporizing. If you don’t care to grow it yourself, it can also be purchased as a dried herb, extract, or resin substance.

Here’s what you can use it for:

Migraines
People who use it for this purpose claim that they experience fewer migraines than they did prior to starting the herb.

Insomnia
A frequent use of wild lettuce is by people who have trouble sleeping. It produces a relaxed and euphoric feeling, helping a person fall asleep easier, without the addictive qualities of commonly prescribed sleeping aids.

Anxiety
Wild lettuce can act as a mild sedative, allowing people with anxiety to find a reprieve from the stress it causes.

Asthma and CoughWild lettuce has antitussive properties, which alleviates or suppresses a cough. Also, asthmatic patients who have used opiates notice more episodes if they go through opiate withdrawal.

Watch this video to see how to make a simple wild lettuce extract:

One of the best reasons to use wild lettuce is because it improves your life by numbing your pain and by not introducing new complications to the equation. The side benefit is that it probably grows in your yard, taking space in nature rather than your medicine cabinet.