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Chinese leaders write publicly to Queen Victoria, calling for an end to the opium trade.

1839

The Story of Opium
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WAR

In particular, Lin Zexu decries the morality of the opium trade and Britain's political support for it. Later, he will call for the seizure of all opium ships. This leads to the First Opium War between Britain and China. When China is defeated, they give Hong Kong Island to the British to increase their entry ports for trade. This allows opium production to explode by increasing supply to the United States and elsewhere.