The Opium War

The Opium Trade in China between the British and the Chinese was the very first drug war of the 19th century. It was called the Opium War, Opium is a preparation made from the juice of poppy seedpods, and used to produce heroin.The drug was mainly produced in and shipped from the East Indies to China by British merchants. This addictive drug had gotten many Chinese badly hooked by the early 1800s. These battles went on for three years.

During these three years of battling many things happened. The Chinese would take the opium coming in and destroyed it. Also they would kill anyone who tyred to sell opium. Capetian Charles Elliot tried to get a letter to Queen Victoria. The letter never made it to England because his messenger was killed by some sailors in China. In the three year span Britain won the war because of there advanced technology. They made china sign a treaty that enabled china to give the British more ports and legalise the opium.