Between 1858 and 1917, the opium trade was legal in China. The trade-in of this addictive, highly crippling narcotic drug was heavily dominated by Jewish entrepreneurs who had immigrated to China from India. Even though they were engaged in a legitimate business, they were subjected to harsh criticism, especially from missionaries. Anti-opium organizations, fueled by missionaries, opposed the opium trade for ethical reasons as well as a concern that all trade with China would be halted, as had happened in 1839. The history of the opium trade in the nineteenth century, the anti-opium campaign, the British government’s stance toward Baghdadi merchants, and the end of the opium trade are all discussed in this article.
Source: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1462169X.1999.10511922
