A UC Santa Cruz graduate student has been sentenced to a drug diversion program for making a batch of morphine-laced beer.
Chad Renzelman pleaded no contest to heroin possession, saying he used "a handful" of dried poppy pods to flavor a batch of home-made beer. Police found the batch of beer in his garage during the summer.
The organic chemistry student says he extracted opium from the poppies, which he then converted to morphine.
The 28-year-old Renzelman says the beer was for home consumption and he didn't know his actions were illegal.
Renzelman must participate in a drug diversion program and, if he stays out of trouble, the offense will be cleared from his record.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
