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The history of opium can be traced back to 3400 B.C. where the opium puppy was cultivated in the lower Mesopotamia. Its long history suggests that humans have always been fond of this drug and have found ways to popularize both its usage and cultivation throughout the world.
The triangle area shown in the map indicates a dense poppy cultivation area of three countries, Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar. The area covers more than 100,000 square kilometers of mountainous areas reassembling a triangle. The center of the area is at the boundaries of three countries where two rivers, the Mae Khong and Ruak, meet. In Thailand the tri-boundary area is at Ban Sob Ruak, Tambon Wiang, Amphoe Chiang Sean, Chiang Rai Province. In Myanmar it is at Ban Pak He Tambon Muang Pong, Amphoe Tha Khi Lek, Heng Tung Province and in Laos at Ban Kwan, Muang Ton Phueng, Khwang Bo Keaw.
The golden triangle owes its name to the opium traders of the area. Opium is an extremely expensive narcotic analgesic drug and thus is known as the “Black Gold”. In the former time gold was commonly used instead of money in opium trade in this area. However, because of betrayal by stuffing, it was a must to prove by cutting both opium and gold to ensure that there was no stuffing. Consequently as a result of the extensive use of money and gold in opium trade the area got its name- “The Golden Triangle.”
So how did opium become such an expensive drug? The history of opium can be traced back to 3400 B.C. where the opium puppy was cultivated in the lower Mesopotamia. Its long history suggests that humans have always been fond of this drug and have found ways to popularize both its usage and cultivation throughout the world. There is both archeological and literary evidence suggesting that people in Greece, Rome, Persia and Egypt who called this plant “OPIUM” meaning “FRUIT JUICE” have learned how to use opium both as narcotic and medicine since 1,000 B.C. For example, more than 3,000 years old ivory opium pipes were found in Cyprus and some Greek epics, like .Iliad and Odyssey, Helen of Troy as well as prayers to a Greek Goddess, Mediter, mentions the medicinal quality of opium suggesting a profound awareness of opium during the era. In addition, in his book of medicine, Hippoeratess a Greek physician who is considered the father of medicine also recognized the use of opium as an effective drug for the treatment of various diseases. All in all opium has served humans both as narcotics and as an effective drug since very long. But as soon as more and more people used opium for its narcotic pleasure rather than its medical usage bringing an alarming rate of heroin addicts, governments throughout the world made opium illicit not only to use but also to trade and cultivate poppy. Soon the demand outran the supply and the price of opium started skyrocketing.
