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How does this speech about the dangers of herbs foreshadow the end of Romeo and Juliet?

Act II, Scene III opens in Friar Laurence's cell, or private living space. He is holding a basket and speaks to himself about some of the plants he tends to and will gather. He remarks that many flowers have "virtues" (medicinal benefits) but that there can be a fine line between medicine and poison. Some plants are poisonous altogether, even those with a pleasant flower, sweet smell, or good flavor. If one abuses, or makes a vice of, those plants with medicinal properties, they might accidentally poison themselves and die. 


Friar Laurence's speech foreshadows the events of the second half of the play by informing us of the good and bad qualities of plants. When Romeo is banished from Verona for killing Tybalt, he and Friar Laurence concoct a plan that will allow Juliet to escape with him. In Act IV, Scene I, the Friar gives Juliet a little bottle of a sleeping potion which is so strong it will make her appear dead for almost two full days. She is to drink the potion to convince her family that she is dead and be placed in the family tomb, where Romeo will come to steal her away once she wakes up. Here we see one of the virtues of plants- bringing sleep.


If Balthasar had not wrongly informed Romeo that Juliet is dead (Act V, Scene I), and instead received the truth from Friar Laurence, all might have gone according to plan. Juliet did awake to find Romeo in the tomb with her, but he had already taken advantage of the other sort of qualities plants provide- poison. Romeo purchased a little bottle of strong poison from an Apothecary, someone who prepares plants as a profession, and has committed suicide so that he may lie with Juliet in eternity.

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