Drug abuse (厖忔 fan du) is a �祱淳� huai maobing (bad habit) learned from the West. Everyone knows that in Europe and especially decadent America, drug abuse is a rampant social problem. Since China opened its doors to foreign investment this social side-effect has reared its ugly head here, but not for the first time...

In the early 18th century the British East India Company gained control of the 嫪惃yapian (opium)-growing districts of eastern India and began selling � 嫪惃 yapian to China. As the sale of opium into China and drain of silver out of the country started to get out of hand, China confined foreign trade to 紦黟 Guangzhou where it could be restricted and controlled in the interests of revenue. That箂 when Hong Kong merchants stepped in as intermediaries between the Chinese authorities and the greedy, rapacious 喀諕� laowai drug-pushers.

Indeed, the descendants of those very narcotics middlemen are none other than the Hong Kong businessmen and women who play a similar role in brokering foreign trade with China today. And the biggest Hong Kong trading houses are run by the descendants of the opium dealers. At the time who筪 have guessed that muddy Hong Kong would one day be a sprawling metropolis and venerated 嚂粠鳝瓱 jinrong zhongxin (financial center)?

On June 3, 1839, in an effort to stop the illegal opium trade, an �咕鹰蹌� qinchai dachen (imperial envoy) named △屭�� Lin Zexu seized and destroyed boatloads of British opium. In 1840 tensions over the opium trade culminated in the 嫪惃箛箻 Yapian Zhanzheng (Opium War) with Britain箂 invasion of 紦黟 Guangzhou. Chinese 憯牉 wushu (martial arts) was no match for British cannons and warships, and China lost the war summarily.

The opium problem continued to worsen throughout the century. By 1885 many peasants all over China were growing 钵缼 yingsu (opium poppies) instead of food. Opium continued to be a thorn in China箂 side until after 噿厜 jiefang (liberation), when the 季緳祫 gongchandang (Communist Party) finally 緤话ノ牘 caiqu cuoshi (took steps) necessary to banish opium from China. The use of mandatory treatment and execution of dealers to stem the drug tide worked in the 1950s and all but eliminated drug use in China.

China subsequently enjoyed a drug-free period that continued until the 鎮簣綗皆鴣厜 jingji gaige kaifang (Economic Reforms and Opening Up) of the 1980s, when 厖忔贺諌 fandu jituan (drug traffickers) started bringing drugs back into China through 寪煢 Yunnan, 紦憲 Guangxi and 紦彺 Guangdong.

By 1989 there were over 70,000 official drug users in China. In 1997, estimates were that nearly half a million people under the age of 35 were hooked on hard 忔悈 dupin (drugs) such as 啠�鲁� hailuoyin (heroin). In response, officials launched a 硃eople箂 war against drugs,� which included stepping up execution of drug dealers and mandatory, rigorous treatment for addicts. The average cost of drug treatment to the patient is more than half a year箂 wages. But patients unanimously agree that they筪 much rather pay for the treatment than the alternatively low-priced but 鳜埜 zhiming (deadly) execution bullet.

Despite the people箂 war on drugs, heroin continues to be a problem in China, due largely to the country箂 proximity to the 嚂粵嚝 Jinsanjiao (Golden Triangle), where Burma, Laos and Thailand meet. The opium fields of the region are one of the world箂 largest heroin 骏尌 laiyuan (sources).

Heroin is one of a group of opiates which, like opium, are derived from the opium poppy. Opium contains �蛥� mafei (morphine) and codeine, both effective painkillers. Heroin is made from morphine and in its pure form is a white powder. Heroin and other opiates are sedative drugs that depress the nervous system, slow down body functioning and are able to combat both physical and emotional pain. The effect is usually to give a feeling of warmth, relaxation and detachment with a lessening of anxiety. Effects start quickly and can last several hours, depending on how much is taken and how. First time users sometimes experience 徱瓱 exin (nausea) and vomiting but don箃 worry, these unpleasant reactions fade with regular use to be replaced by sleeplessness, anxiety, paranoia, disinclination to work, weight loss, terror, physical deterioration and death.

Methylenedioxymethamphetamine, better known as ecstasy, has become popular in China箂 cities among young people. The drug goes by the Chinese name 嘲諈账 yaotouwan (砲ead-rocking pill�). It箂 a stimulant with mild 獔鏋 huanjue (hallucinogenic) effects used to stay up for 债Ω tongxiao (all-night) dancing. On the downside, there is often brief nausea, sweating, dry mouth and throat. 媮嫾 xueya (blood pressure) and heart rate increases and loss of 爠矚 shiyu (appetite) is common. A visit to your home by the Public Security Bureau can induce similar physiological responses, but prolonged use leads to a permanent idiotic grin and an inability to stop saying the word 厨�" ku (cool) whereas a visit to your home by the PSB only does the former.

The drug with which China箂 喀諕� laowai community is most familiar is undoubtedly ホ�� dama (cannabis). Cannabis was first documented as an herbal remedy in a Chinese pharmacy text of the first century AD. Cannabis is usually rolled into a cigarette or joint and smoked. Cannabis can also be smoked in a pipe or 榔嬅啹 shuiyanhu (water pipe), brewed into a tea or cooked into cakes or brownies. Generally cannabis makes people relax. They may become giggly and �摭� lu鰏uo (talkative) or alternatively quieter and subdued. The use of Cannabis ペ�� da luan (wreaks havoc) on organizational skills and short term memory. Frequent inhalation of Beijing �箰� kongqi (air) or cannabis smoke can cause 鬟惎夹嬜 zhiqiguanyan (bronchitis), 厬儵 fei ai (lung cancer) and 厬惎髯 feiqizhong (emphysema).

Finally, 鴬��弛 kekayin (cocaine) is made from the leaves of the coca shrub, which grows in the mountainous regions of South America. Cocaine is a strong but short acting stimulant drug. Users feel more alert and �訉� huoyue (energetic) but they also quickly 姦掖 shangyin. You might say longtime cokeheads have a 掖諈 yintou (addiction, strong interest). Cocaine 掖鏇撞 yinjunzi (addicts) spend 唱ホ被�� yi da bi qian (a lot of money), 剟盒 ch鈕ji� (squabble) with their friends and family and 劊≠鲍萌 chang liu biti (always have a runny nose).