Don't cry about Marijuana...

[SwordsMaster]

Cry about this instead

Opium use has fallen in the past century—except in America

OPIUM production increased to nearly 9,000 tonnes in 2007, the highest level for years, according to a United Nations annual “World Drug Report” published on Thursday June 26th. Opiates remain the main problem drug in terms of treatment. But while there is cause for concern, comfort may be had in knowing things are not nearly as bad as they used to be. In 1909, international concern over the ravages of the then legal and freely traded drug culminated in a meeting of the International Opium Commission in Shanghai. And from UN estimates using Commission documents, it is plain to see why. Some 16.4% of the population were puffing on opium in Singapore, and over 8% in Hong Kong and Macau. The only country to use more than it did a century ago is America.

So. 0.5% of the US population is a healthy 1,522,230 people. Opinions?

[Lemur]

What, you're gonna post the article, but not the cool graphic? What's wrong with you, son?

[Adrian II]

What's wrong with you, son?

Yeah. Think of all the little children.

[Idaho]

Opium was grown, exported and marketed vigourously by British traders with the full backing of the government at the time.

So once the market was established they made it illegal creating a massively lucrative and attractive market for organised crime - Double win!

[drone]

The article says "opiates", while the graph states "opium". I could see opiate abuse increasing, since I believe Oxycontin (hillbilly herion)is classified as such.

[Whacker]

The article says "opiates", while the graph states "opium". I could see opiate abuse increasing, since I believe Oxycontin (hillbilly herion)is classified as such.

This line of thought also makes sense to me, however it still may be a bit ambiguous. Opium is a very specific drug made from the Opium poppies. Opiates are drugs (including synthetics) made based on the narcotic-bearing liquid extracted from Opium poppies. It's also a pretty bitchin' album by Tool. Opioids are a large category used to describe drugs that have similiar effects on the body as pure Opium extract. So again, given the article's wording, perhaps they meant to reference the broader drug category than the specific subset? /shrug

[SwordsMaster]

What, you're gonna post the article, but not the cool graphic? What's wrong with you, son?

I was too lazy to rehost it.