How was opium introduced into India?

1 Answer
aielliot
Feb 3, 2018

The Opium Poppy originated in the Middle East but is able to grow in many places. Alexander the Great is said to have introduced Opium to India about 400 BCE.

Explanation:

Trade is said to have spread Opium to China 400 to 1200 AD. Opium was known to the Romans. The Silk Road trading route would have carried it throughout Southern and Eastern Asia. Seeds are used in some foods so getting seeds would not be difficult. The cultivation and the gathering of the raw latex is labor intensive but not difficult. It could be popular cash crop.

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/heroin/etc/history.html

enter image source here

Photo Credit: Sumita Roy Dutta

Related questions
Impact of this question
1164 views around the world
You can reuse this answer
Creative Commons License