A Brief History of Opium: Mythology, Culture, Medicine, Trade, and Conflict

The origin of humankind's relationship with the opium poppy is complex, and the further back in time we look, the more speculation we find filling in the gaps. This strange and mysterious plant has the power to inspire the imagination, as much in the study of its history, as when the Romantic Poets used its extracts to stimulate their imagination to write their poetry.

From ancient civilisations to the present day, the opium poppy (Papaver Somniferum) has a fascinating history, from the dark symbolism of trance, sleep, dreams, and death in Greco-Roman mythology, to the search for ever stronger pain relief. Since its discovery as a powerful painkiller in ancient medical texts, to the battlefields of the American Civil War, 'God's Own Medicine' has been both a blessing and a curse.

The growth of the opium trade has caused and funded wars. It has both relieved pain, and been the cause of pain and suffering. Its illicit use, addiction, and surrounding war and politics have plagued humankind to this day.

There is no more effective painkiller than that which has its origins in this beautiful plant. There is also little in the way of medicine which carries with it such dangers of addiction, ruin, misery and death. Attempts by scientists to isolate and refine opium to safely regulate its dosage and reduce addiction, have unwittingly opened a Pandora's box of consequences which have gone on to shape the modern world.

In ancient mythology, this opium giving plant could be seen as a gift from the gods. But like those cautionary tales revealing the flaws in human nature, such a gift comes at a great price.

This book is a brief introduction to the history of opium from its earliest beginnings to modern times. Its chapters break this history down into periods of historical significance. Each chapter carries its own different themes and episodes in the overall story of civilisation, humankind, and its relationship with nature.