Cdi 7 " Vice and Drug Education Control": Historical Perspective

CDI 7
“ VICE AND DRUG EDUCATION

CONTROL”
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
Prepared by:
Trina Valerie Doinog- Merencillo
INSTRUCTOR
HISTORY OF DRUG ABUSE
The Holy Bible is a very reliable source in tracing the

early use and abuse of narcotics. The Book of Judges of
the Old Testament revealed that the mighty Samson was
put to sleep by Delilah by means of a drug-laced wine
before cutting his hair, the source of his strength, and
subsequently gouged his eyes before the feasting
Philistines already “high spirited” with narcotics mixed
with intoxicants. There are also many allusions of drug
abuse in the old cities of Sodom and Gamorrah, which
might have led to the widespread of adultery, bestiality
and incest (Sotto, 1994)
Ancient Greek and Roman Literature likewise are
replete with stories alluding to drug abuse, as in the
lamentable and tragic romance of Mark Anthony and
Cleopatra. Cleopatra. In desperation over her disprized
love drank a narcotic-laden wine before allowing
herself bitten to death by a poisonous asp from the
River Nile. Even the practice of oracles and black
magic during the Roman ancient times were believed
to be accomplished by narcotics. (Sotto, 1994)
Historians credited that marijuana (Cannabis Sativa)
is the world’s oldest cultivated plant started by the
Incas of Peru. Peruvian and Mexican Incas have also
common practice to use the coca leaves during
religious offering ceremonies. It was also known that
marijuana was a “sacred tree” in the belief of the
Assyrians being used during religious rituals-some
9,000 year B.C. The use of marijuana is also deeply
ingrained in the cultures of many countries such as
India, Jamaica, Morocco, Nepal, Mexico and Peru
(Sotto, 1994).
The first reference of introduction was in Northern
Iran as an intoxicant. And from there it spread
throughout India by the Hindus used for religious
rituals in the belief that it is a source of Happiness
“laughter provoker”. The word “hashis” (resin) of the
marijuana plant was derived from the name of Hasan
or Hashasin, the muslim cult leader who fed his
disciples a preparation made from resin of the female
hemp plant as a reward for their successful activities in
assassinations.
American Indians too are believed to use not only
the stimulant tobacco but also opium in their peace
pipes in order to “narcotize” an oppositionist to their
common objectives (Sotto, 1994).
Knowledge on the opium poppy plant (Papaver
Somniferum) goes back about 7000 years B.C.
cultivated and prepared by the Sumerians. Even the
ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, the Father of
medicine, prescribed the juice of the white poppy
plant as early as 5,000 B.C in the belief that it can cure
illness both internal and external use. The plant was
first harvested in Mesopotamia and its use spread
throughout the neighbouring Mediterranean areas,
then to Asia. From there, it was introduced to Persia,
India, China by the Arab came Caravans (Dungo, 1998)
Opium was used in China was stemmed out from
India and became widespread in the 19th Century.
From Middle East, the plant cultivated in India,
Pakistan, and Afghanistan.
Five centuries later, An Opium trade between China
and Portuguese merchants became a lucrative
business. The British took over the trade from the
Portuguese and established the Opium Trade
Monopoly through the British East Indies Company.

In an attempt to stop the extremely high rate of opium
addiction in China, Emperor Yung Chen prohibited
the smoking of Opium and attempted to close ports
for its importation. This triggered the “opium war” of
1840 which induced China to accept British sponsored
opium trade and forced to sign a treaty permitting the
importation of opium into China after her defeat.
It was in 1806 that a German pharmacist in the name
of Friedrich W. Serturner discovered Morphine, the
first derivative of opium. He called this new drug as
“Morphium” and later changed to Morphine after the
Greek God of dream, Morpheus. This was the first
attempt to cure opium addiction. But morphine
addictive properties became prominence during the
American Civil War vast numbers of American soldiers
became addicted to the drugs- so much so that
morphine addiction became known as “soldiers
Disease”.
The second attempt of treating opium and morphine
addiction started in 1896 when Heroin
(Diacetylmorphine), synthesized from drug
morphine, was discovered by a British Chemist in the
name of Alder Wright. It was called the “miracle
drug” because it is believed that it can cure both
opium and morphine addiction. It was named after the
word “hero” due to its impressive power. So physicians
began to use heroin but it became a substitution of
one addiction to another. It turns out later that heroin
is the most addictive of all drugs.
Meanwhile, codeine, the third derivative of opium was
discovered in France while in the process of
discovering other drugs that could cure opium,
morphine and heroin addiction but it also ended in
the same tragic result. Today, it is widely used as an
ingredient in most cough syrup.
 There are course other historical events that would

reveal drug abuse in the history of man, the greatest
influence of the modern medical practice today. In
fact, physicians all over the world still consider
narcotics as the most effective pain reliever (Sotto,
1994)
END OF SLIDE

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CDI 7

“ VICE AND DRUG EDUCATION

The Holy Bible is a very reliable source in tracing the

 There are course other historical events that would

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