Oral use - eating fresh pods, when best time?

[kalininin]

swims keeping a close watch on some neighbourhood gardens, poppy-wise.
he ''forgot'' to grow own p somniferum. up until now [july 1, europe] he ate pods 'fresh off the plant' twice [each time some 4]. defo some fx.
he isnt interested in latexing at all, he wants to get hold of as many pods as possible for eating or tea-making. now his question: the pods he ate were bout 1 week after petals-falling off 'old': is there an optimal age [alkaliod-wise] for harvesting the neighbourhood pods?
there seems to be conflicting info on this particular question.
should swim wait a while or just collect the pods now, when they're roundish [1 week after petals have fallen off].
he is in some disconfort, cuz he fears some ignorant neighbours might throw out the plants shortly after flowering is over n thus violating the rights swim feels he has now on the said plants....