This is a classic work on the history of intoxicants, an essential read spanning both world history and the history of drugs.
How powerful have intoxicants such as tobacco, alcohol, tea, coffee, and opium been throughout history?
Why are some legal while others are banned?
What forces drove intoxicants into vast commercial trades of all kinds?
Taking a social and biological perspective, this book examines the history of mind-altering substances such as coffee, tobacco, tea, opium, and cocaine. It traces how they were discovered, traded, and turned to profit, revealing how popular intoxicants entered the mainstream of global commerce.
Drawing on psychology, medicine, power, economics, culture, ecology, and other fields, this fascinating and wide-ranging account of intoxicants will open your eyes.
We live in a world where the mechanisms of society are designed to stimulate each of us, keeping us in a state of heightened tension. This is why, during the Opium Wars, we needed opium—an addictive substance introduced to my country from the West that damages both the physical and mental health of its inhabitants. Later, we had cigarettes, another culprit harming the health of many and causing others to fall victim to cancer. Resisting temptation is urgent.
Intelligent people never wear their intelligence on their sleeves; instead, they keep it deep within their hearts, neither revealing nor flaunting it. Conversely, only those with a little skill flaunt their abilities everywhere, displaying a reckless desire to compete with the world.
What is the relationship between money and humanity? Humans invented money as a means of value exchange, but many people have become its slaves, resorting to any means to obtain it, leading to a pandemic of addictive substances. The world belongs to everyone, and no one can remain unaffected.
Tobacco, alcohol, coffee, and opium—these can be addictive substances, even narcotics. They have profoundly influenced human life for over 500 years. This book takes a historical perspective, showcasing the role of addictive drugs in human history hundreds of years ago.
Using human lives to boost the economy is a remarkably rapid method.
The characters in the book are also very interesting. Someone like Colombo, whose lifestyle is practically an extreme pursuit of various addictive substances, made me deeply aware of the impact of addictions on people. I recommend you read this book too; you'll definitely gain something new!
The harms of tobacco and alcohol extend beyond the body.
When used to treat illness, it is medicine; when used to harm, it is poison.
The author's writing style is skillful and the level of thought is very high.
It's pretty good, my child loves it! 😄