Opium’s Orphans: The 200-Year History of the War on Drugs

by P.E. Caquet

Upending all we know about the war on drugs, a history of the anti-narcotics movement’s origins, evolution, and questionable effectiveness.
 
Opium’s Orphans is the first full history of drug prohibition and the “war on drugs.” A no-holds-barred but balanced account, it shows that drug suppression was born of historical accident, not rational design. The war on drugs did not originate in Europe or the United States, and even less with President Nixon, but in China. Two Opium Wars followed by Western attempts to atone for them gave birth to an anti-narcotics order that has come to span the globe. But has the war on drugs succeeded? As opioid deaths and cartel violence run rampant, contestation becomes more vocal, and marijuana is slated for legalization, Opium's Orphans proposes that it is time to go back to the drawing board.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

440 pages, Hardcover

Published June 7, 2022

Reviews

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tedious

[Scott Macfarland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very well researched but sometimes gets bogged down in acronyms. Not an easy read

[Wayne Kepner · Rating 4 out of 5]

How and why did prohibition come to pass?
What is the connection between the Opium Wars and cocaine prohibition?
Who were the major world players in passing the first international drug coalition?

P.E. Cauqet painstakingly details over 200 years of history of the war on, over, and about drugs. Not for the faint of heart but you will end this journey with a vastly better understanding of why we are here. To chart the way forward Caquet recommends "...I wouldn't start from here"