opium

They tracked down opium and marijuana fields, called in helicopters, sprayed the crops with powerful herbicides, and then rounded up the suspected growers.

The book has three sections — Opium, Caffeine and Mescaline — each of which ties a scientific and historical exploration of a plant-drug to a small but gripping personal drama.

It turns out, Pollan learns, that poppies are for sale in standard seed catalogues, and opium goo practically harvests itself.

He is a member of the Sassoon family, nicknamed the “Rothschilds of the East” for their extensive investments across Asia—including the import and export of opium, which sparked two wars between Britain and China in the 1800s.

And almost no event plays a larger role in that identity as a victim than the Opium Wars.

A hit of good opium these days “costs a lot of money, about $5 (150,000 rials),” says Bahari.

In 2011, Iran accounted for 80 per cent of the opium seizures in the world, and 30 percent of the heroin seizures.

“Traditionally, older Iranian men have smoked opium in their poetry readings and backgammon gatherings,” says Bahari.

Both vaporiums I visited included areas to hang out it, like the louche opium dens of old.

Alighting from Pyne's car at the door, they went up to the flat of the organizer of the opium party—Mr. Cyrus Kilfane.

Everything except opium is to be had at Kazmah's, and nothing except opium interests me.

We here saw an opium-eater, lying stretched out upon a mat on the floor.

It is said that some of the Chinese opium smokers consume from twenty to thirty grains a-day.

Upon a little Moorish table beside a deep, low settee lay a complete opium-smoking outfit.