The Opium Wars

The opium wars was a war between china and great Britain. It was called the Opium was because China was fighting to keep this powerful drug out of there country. Opium comes from poppy seeds it was used as medicine to treat diseases such as dysentery, cholera, as well as diarrhea in china. Great Britain was in love with the tea from china but they were tired of paying gold and silver to get more, seeing as china didn't need anything from the English because they were an independent country Great Britain introduced them to opium mixed with tobacco. At first china loved this new find but soon they realized the bad affect it had on there people. China tried to ban Opium from there country and even set up laws that punished those who sold it. However this didn't stop British merchants from bringing it in to china. So china tried to ban the British completely, but Great Britain caught word of this and attacked China by surprise. Of course they won the war do to there advanced technology they also made china sign a treaty which gave them the right to sell what they pleased it also opened up five new ports for them to sell there goods from. The Opium Wars was the first ever Drug war.