Opium is collected out of the almost ripe fruit of papaver somniferum by
cutting small slits in the fruit all the way round. The liquid that
comes out is white and will (under the influence of the air and sun
turn brown. In aziatic countries this brown substances is pressed in to
boulders of +/- 1kg and split in halves and sold as rough opium.

One of the problems with rough opium is the prescence of Thebaine, an
opium alkaloid with almost no euphoric or sedative effects, but which is
indeed one of the most poisonous. It can be neutralised by treating it
with diluted sulforic acid (the acid used in carr bateries is diluted
 [10 %] sulforic acid) Morfine is very solubale in sulforic acid.

This are my main findings.... now for some reasoning : Morfine is one
of the few opium alkaloids well solubale in sulforic acid, diluted
sulforic acid will infact even get rid of one of the main contaminants
so a good way of treating the opium after collecting would be to extract
it with diluted sulforic acid (5-10%) filter all solids off, and than
let the acid evaporate. This should leave you with a white powder fit for
smoking or even eating/drinking. The only problem rises from unreacted
sulforic acid wich will almost not evaporate :( ... so make sure you
do not use an excess of sulforic acid.(You'll need to try, to find out...
sulphoric acid can also be neutralised after the reaction with opium
with Calcium Carbonate [Chalk] Which will form an insolubale so that's
probably your best bet.... neutralising the solution before filtering with
chalk)

Well sofar my $0.02 on this subject

Shadum