How opium became a powerful global commodity

2026-08-13 · 44 min · episode 2605 · 6 entities

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mentioned HistoryExtra company

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hosted by Immediate company

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hosted by HistoryExtra company

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discusses History website

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Episode description as stored

Opium has been a painkiller, a vice and the fuel for at least two wars. But what makes it such a powerful global commodity? Benjamin Robert Siegel takes Isabel King through this complex history, exploring how opium shaped capitalism, medicine and global power from ancient poppy fields to the modern opioid crisis. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST Want to know why Britain went to war with China in the 19th century to protect the interests of drug dealers? To find out more, check out our 'Everything you wanted to know' episode on the Opium Wars: https://bit.ly/4wPh4eM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices