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Opium Smoking in China

            Smoking opium in China was a major problem that touched all levels of society and had tremendous impact on the Chinese economy. Discussed first will be when smoking of opium began in China, and early instances of it occurring. Following the beginning is when smoking was noticed as a problem, and who at that point and time was smoking and probable reasons that lead them to do so. Of course recognizing the problem lead to discussions on prohibition; this will be looked at next. Finally the economic ramifications of opium smoking will be looked at. First the sheer size of the opium market and then the lasting impact opium has had on the Chinese economy.
             Opium first began as an offshoot of tobacco smoking. After tobacco had been introduced to China it eventually became a cash crop. Portuguese had originally hoped to ship Brazilian tobacco to China but it quickly became a national habit and was grown in fields outside major cities walls. Very early evidence of opium smoking goes back as far as 1617, but first real significant appearances don't occur until 1723-1724, when the smoking of opium mixed with plants or tobacco is described. Charles de Constant discusses what he calls widespread smoking or opium and tobacco in Canton in 1780, and by 1816 it is noted by Abel that tobacco steeped in opium is common in all parts of the Empire. .
             Ch'en Ch'i-yuan then states that this is not really the smoking of opium but rather there are two types of opium. One form is called madak, or not pure opium, as it is prepared by boiling the opium with tobacco and yields 0.2% morphia (the equivalent to a few inhalations of marijuana). The other form being the pure opium, yielding 9-10% morphia; causes smokers of pure opium to reject madak.
             The Qing emperor did not take action to stop the spread of addiction until early 19th century when the problem became apparent in court. In 1813 there where a number of palace guards who smoked.


Essays Related to Opium Smoking in China

1. Opium is an Addiction

Opium entered the Chinese markets with a boom around the nineteenth century. ... Judging by the euphoria after an opium smoking secession and the frequency of these secessions, leads me to believe that smoking opium, and addiction for that, matter were the choice of individuals. ... The Chinese consider the practice of smoking opium to be a great evil among them and they even attempt to hide it. ... As described in every single reading that we had this week, almost everyone in China knew of the injurious affects that smoking opium can have on the body. ... Maybe it's the idea of kicking...

  • Word Count: 763
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

2. Chinese Opium Wars

However, this changed as soon as Britain began to import the drug opium into China. ... It was in fact the Chinese youth which discovered its hallucinogenic effects by smoking it through a pipe. ... By the end of the 1830s, two thirds of trade with China is opium. ... Lin Zexu, (1785-1850), was one of the initiatives of the Chinese government to combat the opium problem. ... Lin Zexu then captures twelve Chinese merchants and seizes their opium. ...

  • Word Count: 1759
  • Approx Pages: 7
  • Has Bibliography
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3. Opium War

The Opium wars were a terrible time for the Chinese people in their history. ... The Qing government was made aware of the dangers of opium smoking among the Chinese people and banned it in 1839 (First Reading). ... The Chinese government banned opium for no other reason than it being a dangerous drug. Britain on the other hand, infuriated by the ban on opium and containment of its citizens, started an armed conflict with China to continue to sell drugs in China. ... Also, opium smoking was widespread in the Chinese army and this weakened them considerably. ...

  • Word Count: 2004
  • Approx Pages: 8
  • Has Bibliography

4. China

The political change in china over opium is the banning of opium. ... The Chinese government outlawed the drug opium. ... The change in the Chinese economy because of opium was that china was paying everything for opium. ... In 1820, is when the opium came into china. ... From rich merchants to Taoists were smoking opium. ...

  • Word Count: 1005
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

5. The First Opium War

Britain forced the importation of opium into China even though the Chinese did not want this. ... The first Opium War was caused by the unequal trading between China and England resulting in England imposing the trading of opium upon China, and a final outcome of the Opium War was that China is forced to have diplomatic relations with other countries rather than keep to itself. ... Roberts, began the illegal importation of opium into China (Roberts 164). ... Soon the upper classes started smoking opium along with the officers in the emperor's palace. ... The historian adds that Lin ...

  • Word Count: 1714
  • Approx Pages: 7
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

6. Global Results of the Opium War

The Opium War, and the opium trade proper between China and Great Britain lead to the development of sinophobic ideals surrounding the Chinese. ... In her letter, Murphy explicitly associates the Chinese with opium claiming, "they waste up their good money for smoking opiums and so let their families, such as their father, mother, sisters, and young brothers starving at China. ... By 1911 the Canadian government banned the use of opium and other drugs. ... I would argue that if the Chinese immigrants were exactly how the Canadians portrayed them to be: drug peddlers, pimps, and prostitut...

  • Word Count: 996
  • Approx Pages: 4
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7. Narcotic Culture Review - A History of Drugs in China

In the book "Narcotic Culture: A History of Drugs in China," the authors enlighten the reader about opium use and trades in China. ... From brewing tea to smoking from a pipe, opium soon because a big part of Chinese culture. Citizens used opium in medical and social settings, even as far as to establish smoking dens, where many people could come together and enjoy each other's company, along with the substance. ... " Meaning, that these substitute substances were being traded in place of opium, which carried on the trading relationships whilst still depriving China of real opium. .....

  • Word Count: 1062
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

8. Drug Culture In History

China was one of the most receptive to tobacco after its introduction in 1600. ... Even today, despite continued education about the effects of smoking, it still holds its own all over the world. Education and anti-smoking ads have resulted in reduction of smoking, but not on a worldwide level. ... Tea had its hold in Asia, especially China. ... Marijuana originally came from central Asia, specifically China, 6000 years ago. ...

  • Word Count: 1853
  • Approx Pages: 7
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9. Drug Reform Policy

The first American anti-drug law was an 1875 San Francisco ordinance, which outlawed the smoking of opium in opium dens. (Brecher, pg. 5) It was passed because of the fear that Chinese men were luring white women to their "ruin" in opium dens. "Ruin" was defined as associating with Chinese men. It was followed by other similar laws, including federal laws in which trafficking in opium was forbidden to anyone of Chinese origin, and restrictions on the importation of smoking opium. ... The laws were directed at smoking opium because it was perceived that the smoking of opium was a peculiarly Ch...

  • Word Count: 2031
  • Approx Pages: 8

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