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During the Civil War, over 10 million opium pills are given to soldiers.

1865

The Story of Opium
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The pills are given to treat fear, anxiety, pain from wounds, sleeplessness, hunger, and more. In addition, over 2.8 million oz. of opium powders and tinctures are distributed. This increase in the morphine supply requires new production avenues and, for the first time, trade in opium poppies opens up between the United States and Mexico.

As soldiers return from war with opiate dependency and addiction, physicians begin to overprescribe opiates, especially morphine, after the introduction of the hypodermic syringe in 1856.