Opium smoking: a social phenomenon of the early 20th century
Opium, a drug that caused great controversy throughout history, became a prominent phenomenon in American society in the early 20th century. This article will explore the historical background of opium use, the scenes of opium use in different periods, and the changes in social class and the image of smokers.
Opium abuse in the late 19th and early 20th centuries
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, opium smoking became a part of American society, especially in opium huts in places like San Francisco's Chinatown. Evidence of this phenomenon can be found in photographs from that period, in which Chinese immigrants smoked opium in tobacco houses. The introduction of opium smoke during this period, especially during the California Gold Rush, made the phenomenon even more common.
Scenes of opium smoking in different periods
At different times, the scene of opium smoking also changed. In the 1890s, smokers gathered in smoke houses to indulge in the drug. In an 1898 photograph, two women lie on their beds in a tobacco house in New York, enjoying the narcotic effects of opium. A 1900 travel postcard shows a smoker in an exotic setting. By 1909, New York users had formed a small community.
Around 1910, a photograph showing a white woman and an opium pipe shows that opium smoking has gradually permeated different social classes. By 1912, the number of Chinese smokers in Denver's tobacco houses had increased significantly. The 1920s saw a nationwide boom in opium use.
Changes in social class and the image of smokers
However, over time, the social class of opium smokers and the image of smokers have also changed. From 1923 onwards, the Western upper class and middle class gradually became involved in opium smoking. In 1925, a photograph of a New York tobacco house showed the social background of smokers, including those in white-collar occupations.
The 1926 photograph shows white women smoking opium with Chinese men, suggesting that the social boundaries of opium smoking are gradually disappearing. Opium smoking is no longer the exclusive domain of a particular social group.
Conclusion
The phenomenon of opium smoking is a striking piece of history in American society in the early 20th century. It presents a complex social phenomenon involving people from different social classes and cultural backgrounds. The history of opium smoking is not only a reflection on it, but also a reminder of the diversity and vicissitudes of history. It is a microcosm of the pluralism of American society in the early 20th century, and a key window into the period in which we can gain insight.