...“[Opium] is a poisonous thing. Its growth is in no way beneficial to the country. It produces an effect which demoralizes the people. Physical growth is deteriorated and children are affected also.” Babu Kshetra Nath Mukerjee argues the cultivation of poppy, the plant from which opium is derived, is extremely detrimental to the entire Indian population. But is Opium consumption really any worse than alcohol? And is there any solution that can simultaneously protect Indian zemindars, lower consumption, shelter habitual users, and ensure Indian prosperity? Babu and Shbikh Raza Husain Khan certainly believe so, and offer insight to each of their own thoughts concerning Opium. Aside from medicinal uses and the addictive nature of opium, Babu claims there is no reason to cultivate the drug. Opium use is “most injurious to the persons who use it and has its evil effects upon the children also.” Still, because of its euphoric high and high demand, poppy seems the perfect cash crop to cultivate. Contrary to this belief, “Tobacco or sugarcane crops are better paying crops than poppy.” “In reality,” Buba continues, “cultivators lose 36 rupees per ‘bigha’ from growing poppy.” Buba, a landowner and cultivator himself, stresses these findings in his book and agricultural publications. Nonetheless, Indian consumption exceeded nearly 900,000 pounds of opium every year. 1 Buba conveys his concerns not out of desire for personal gain, but to ensure the general welfare and well-being of his fellow...
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...Name Professor Subject Date OPIUM: CHINA’S HISTORICAL CURSE One Opium is a very crucial drug in the medicine field, and it is widely used in many health facilities and hospitals across the globe. The early uses of opium were applied by natives. They used the drug as a sedative, muscle relaxant, and to help reduce congestion. It was also used to heal toothaches and all types of coughs. The modern use of opium has led to the formation of very strong narcotic painkillers. Opium is mainly associated with Morphine and Oxycodone, which are very strong narcotics. Opium is used in the modern age to treat diseases like spasms or diarrhea, although it is not commonly used (Bioweb.uwlax.edu). Opium use for medicinal purposes may have adverse effects on some people. People who have seizure disorders, lung, liver, and heart or kidney problems should inform the doctors about it before opium is administered to them. Opium has many side effects like nausea, constipation, drowsiness or itching. Some of these side effects are short-term while others are long lasting. Opium use overdose can cause anxiety, chills, coma, constricted pupils, depression or usual weakness. It is a very addictive drug, making it very important for proper monitoring of its use (Lovell, 5). Two Opium in China was not first introduced by the British. Opium was first introduced in China by both the Turkish and the Arab traders in the early 7th Century. The British only...
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...many, but also ruined the lives of many more. With the British Opium Trade, the conflicts surrounding World War 1, and then in Revolutionary China, race, rationality, and capitalism were the core principles that divided the groups involved, but also linked these historical events together. Throughout progress and history, these fundamental principles were tested and reshaped time and time again through conflict, resolution, and changes of power. The British Opium trade in China was a trade monopoly of the East India Company. It exploited the Chinese people by addicting them to opium in order to expand British wealth. After Chinese resistance, it...
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...In modern times, opium is thought to be a very addictive narcotic drug. There has been many different uses for opium and its derivatives throughout history. It is not only an addictive drug, but it has also has had social, economic, and political influences as well. Since opium comes from a naturally occurring poppy flower plant called Papaver somniferum, it is thought to be the first recognized drug due to it predating the discovery of alcohol. (Booth, 1996) Many botanists think that this white poppy plant evolved naturally while others believe that it was deliberately selected and cultivated for the opium sap. (Dormandy, 2012) Opium has been used throughout history for the joyful effects it produces, yet there is no definitive date that states when it was first used. This is because the use of opium definitely...
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...Opium, a highly addictive narcotic consumes a reddish-brown color to the eye and is very heavily scented; prepared from the opium poppy. It has been used as an analgesic and an antispasmodic. While opium is made up of a “cocktail” of drugs, the most active is morphine. In recent years, other derivatives for example heroin have been widely used.(IC) Studies have shown that as many or up to 50 alkaloids can be derived from opium and further processed. It distinctively originates from two groups, phenanthrones and morphine, in which I morphine is the most prevalent alkaloid, formulating up 10-16% of the entire drug(IC). Opioids are primarily used to treat pain, but if often abused for a euphoric feeling it causes. Opium can be consumed several different ways, the most common and traditional way is by ingestion. Smoking opium allows for the effects to be more controlled, as it is not really smoked, but vaporized. Another common method of administration requires making opium in the form of a tea and drinking it. This method is more dangerous than inhalation...
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...Revolution take home essay The Opium War The Opium War lasted from the late 1830’s until 1860, encompassing a series of conflicts between China and the British Empire over trade and diplomacy. Basically what happened was China traded a lot of goods including tea, and in return China gained opium that the British Empire imported from India. However, when China realized that opium was ruining their nation through mass addiction, China outlawed opium. This lead to war with The British Empire, because the British didn’t want to be pushed out of this important trade that they had with China. The British ultimately won because they had a navy and China did not. Through these naval conquests the British acquired the small fisher island of Hong Kong and made it into a large trade port under British rule. Somewhat were some of the deeper issues of these wars and why were they unavoidable? Who stood to benefit most in this lopsided war and why didn’t the Chinese win? From the beginning, the ruling Tang dynasty opposed the importation of opium into its territory and actively discouraged its use by placing a stigma of immorality on those who used the drug. However, the British importers saw opium, as merely a product for which there was a strong demand for in China. Opium did not have anything to do with morality or lack thereof in the British mind. These two divergent viewpoints eventually came...
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...from very lenient to very strict regulation within the last 100 years as a result of legislation. During the 18th century both Britain and the United States were involved in the very profitable business of trading opium; however, social reformers and many leaders disapproved of this across the world. In 1833 the first treaty on the trade of opium internationally was passed in the United States. Shortly thereafter more legislation was passed in 1842, which taxed crude imports of opium into the country. At this time the United States was outsourcing to China for labor in constructing railroads and they brought the habit of opium smoking with them. This habit...
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...Introduction People have blamed corporate greed for many social and economic problems, such as the pollution of our resources, the unfair pay for the working class, major recessions, and many more. It seems that some people are unaware of how much influence corporations have when war is involved. Corporations have a heavy hand in war profiteering when it comes to oil, weapons, and even essential items such as water and food. There are many examples of corporate greed’s influence on war, although I had never heard of a war directly funded or coerced by corporations until I did some research on China’s Opium Wars. Britain and China’s First Encounter The relationship between the Chinese and the British has been unstable from the beginning. Their first encounter resulted in an immediate attack on each other on the high seas. Nevertheless, on August sixth of 1793 a fleet of ships came to shore carrying an important passenger, the British Ambassador, Lord Macartney. The objective was to open trade between Britain and China. Lord Macartney brought with him many gifts for Emperor Chi’ien Lung that had been selected to represent the best that Britain had to trade. Lord Macartney met with Emperor Ch’ien Lung in a large horsehair tent chosen by the Emperor to show he was meeting with simple barbarians rather than equals. Foreigners are required to wear Chinese clothing and practice the Kowtow. The Kowtow is a ritual of respect...
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...Opium War There were two Opium Wars. The first one was from 1839-1842. This war was fought between China and Britain. This war was fought over the two not seeing eye to eye on a lot of things. The second Opium War was from 1856-1860. In this war the British forces fought toward the legalization of the Opium trade. The reason they did this was to be able to expand coolie trace, to be able to open all of China to British merchants, and also to be able to expand foreign imports from internat transit duties. This was when France then joined the British. In this essay we are going to cover both of the Opium Wars. The expansion of European imperialism in Asia was all economic. In the British market there was a high demand for Chinese tea, also Chinese silk, and also Chinese porcelain. But, Britain did not have the right amount of silver to be able to trade with the Qing Empire. So, a system of barter and trade was put into effect, which was based on the Indian Opium which was created to help bridge the payment problems that Britain was having. Because of the “the subsequent exponential increase of opium in China brought about a generation of addicts and social instability.” (He, T.). This caused the British merchants and the Qing government to clash, which led to the Opium Wars. So as a “result, the British were given the island of Hong Kong and trading rights in the ports of Canton and Shanghai.” (He, T.). The first Opium War was over their conflicting views and points of their...
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...Sauvik Chakraborty HIST 212 Dr. Ernst Pijning The Opium Wars in China: The upheaval of isolationist China The introduction of foreign commodities in Europe raised consumerist ambitions to a frenetic level of activity as the multitudes of Europeans viewed their possession and consumption, a symbol indicative of status. The throngs of people were engaged in taking advantage of some significant exploratory achievements made by certain trailblazing expeditioners. The trade routes opened up by these explorers exposed Europe to seemingly boundless prospects of trade, which in turn facilitated the meeting of demands raised by the classes favored by such ventures. There were certain commodities that enjoyed considerably higher appeal amongst the masses than certain other commodities. Opium was one such commodity that did not enjoy widespread repute in Europe as Wolfgang Schivelbusch states in ‘Tastes of Paradise’ “[narcotics] have achieved such a tremendous such a tremendous significance in other cultures but never really gained a foothold in Europe.” (205). Opium, as a substance, has been heralded as a useful crop and was adopted as food, for anaesthetic purposes and ritualistic purposes from times immemorial. Schivelbusch states that in 19th century Europe, opium had a “regular place in the family medicine chest” and was quite frequently used as “sedative and painkiller” (206). The use of opium was becoming increasingly widespread as both urban and rural workers were ushering...
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...In the eighth century, the Arabs brought opium to China. China was well aware of the medicinal uses of opium. It was used as a remedy for diarrhea and as a pain reliever. Opium, however, is an addictive drug. Because of its addictive qualities, the Chinese Emperor banned the usage of Opium. With opium being banned, two major wars broke out. The First Opium War and the Second Opium War. These two wars are known as the Opium Wars. There were two main causes as to what caused the Opium wars. First, the difference between the two countries. And second, the greed of the British traders. What is more, the difference of the cultures of Britain and China was one of the causes of the breakout of the Opium Wars. Most Chinese people thought of the British to be barbarians since their customs were unfamiliar to them. There was bound to be friction between the two countries each time they interacted with each...
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...Chinas Opium War By: Zachary Kern In this paper, I will discuss Chinas opium problem within the 1830’s. At this point, the British Empire has established a routine shipping triangle between ports in England to ports in India; here British merchants would pick up large shipments of opium. From India, the merchants headed towards China, Canton in particular. From here the large shipments were sold to merchants using large British clipper ships, who distributed the large shipments of opium to smaller smuggling ships called “fast dragons” to be dispersed amongst the vast provinces of China. I will discuss the impact of this trade triangle for both the British and the Chinese. Also to be discussed is Imperial Commissioner Lin and his anti-opium campaign in China as well as on the British front. The Chinese and British had contrasting views on Lin and his campaign to end the mass profits the British were collecting from poisoning the Chinese community. Ultimately the opium war would conclude with the Nanjing treaty signed by the Chinese in 1842. Britain forced China to sign via threat of military and naval conquest, a tactic called gunboat diplomacy. Before we delve too far into the characters that were directly involved in the diplomacy regarding the opium situation in China, we must get a better understanding of the market conditions that the situation arose from. There is a very clear line that separates the two types of trade between the British and Chinese empires respectively...
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...Anti-Drug Campaign and the First Opium War In 1930, Chinese officials began to have growing concerns about the increasing trade of opium with the British. China’s social and economic status started to decline due to the opium trade agreement. Chinese addiction to opium became overwhelming and eventually forced China to launch Lin Zexu’s Anti-Drug Campaign in 1839. As a result, this campaign was viewed as a violation of the trade agreement with Britain and helped led to the First Opium War. China isolated themselves from the western world, believing they didn’t need anything from foreign trade. For eight decades, the only port that China opened was called the Canton System. The problem was China only wanted silver in exchange for their exports to Europe. Unfortunately, Europe only traded in gold and silver was hard to come by. Desperate to resolve the foreign trade, Britain realized they can acquire such a commodity in opium from India to exchange for exports in China. The trade of India’s opium started as a medical drug in the early 1800’s between China and Britain. Eventually, it triggered massive dependences throughout China’s society that affected the rich and poor equally. Before long, the demand for the drug was overwhelming, resulting in China importing more opium than exporting trades. Thus, resulting in an imbalanced foreign trade and stability of China’s society. A decree issued in 1810 from the Chinese Emperor stating, “Opium is a poison, undermining our good...
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...Substance abuse in the Unites States has changed constantly. In addition it has caused significant public health problem affecting society on numerous levels. Families as well as communities are affected by substance abuse. In this paper I will examine the past and current trends of substance abuse, and how the use of illicit drugs may be considered culturally appropriate. In the mid 1800’s Opium began to arrive as Chinese workers immigrated to the United States to work on the railroads and gold mines. By the late 1800s, opium was quite a popular drug. Before long, opium dens had spread throughout the United States. In 1803, the German scientist Friedrich Sertürner successfully isolated morphine from opium for the purpose of using it as a surgical and post-surgical anesthetic soon making it available to physicians in the United States. It did alleviate pain, but in the process it also left the user in an anesthetized and euphoric state. The benefits of morphine were considered amazing to physicians of the era. But, the addictive properties were not discovered until after the Civil War. “In 1895, Heinrich Dreser, working for the Bayer Company in Germany, synthesized heroin. Bayer began to market the drug in 1898 (Brecher, 1972)”. In 1600 settlers introduced cannabis to Jamestown Virginia at the time it was used for its fiber. That was used to make rope, sails, and clothing. From 1611 until after the Civil War, cannabis was the main crop in North America playing a...
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...As many of you may know, Afghanistan is the world’s top illicit opium producer. Every year there’s always this new TIMES headline that titles, “Afghanistan hits record high in opium crop this year” and it’s become so repetitive, I’ve gotten to the point where I roll my eyes and ask, ‘When isn’t it?’. Then last year, I came across another TIMES article, again about opium in Afghanistan. Just as I was about to sigh in exasperation, I saw the title, “U.S. Troops Leave Widows Jobless”. The article takes a bit of a different view on things. It details the events where soldiers from the United States enter Afghan poppy fields and destroy them which, of course, leaves the owners of the poppy fields void of income. In many cases, widows cannot get another job and they fail to gather enough money to feed the children; the result is starvation. As I was reading the article, I found that I empathised with the widow to the point where I knew that if I were that soldier, I would not be able to destroy those poppy fields. However, would my empathy-borne actions eventually be beneficial? Would they truly be ethical? In 2005, 70% of the acute drug deaths were thanks to opioids. Meanwhile, opium production is still increasing in Afghanistan, up to a 6,400 ton increase in 20014. Thus from this dilemma, I formed the knowledge question, “To what extent can we rely on empathy to make ethical decisions?”. This knowledge question highlights how one should make morally-correct choices in any situation...
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