It takes some daring to choose opium as your historical
protagonist. The milky sap of the poppy flower has taken so many forms across
so many centuries that its allure feels like a trap, a chasing of the dragon as
risky for the historian as the casual user. L…

Former poppy-growing
areas have had significantly worse long-term social and economic outcomes
than nearby districts.
A comparison of these two opium economies forms the
heart of the books compel…