Post by : Rameen Ariff

Queen Victoria, renowned British monarch of the 19th century, was pivotal in establishing one of the most significant drug empires in history. Historian Sam Kelly details this in his book Human History On Drugs, describing how her opium trade was far more expansive than even infamous figures like Escobar and El Chapo. The opium exports under her rule formed a crucial revenue stream that supported numerous imperial initiatives.

An enthusiast of medical concoctions, Queen Victoria regularly consumed opium through laudanum—a blend of opium and alcohol—as well as other substances like cocaine, cannabis, and chloroform for health reasons. Kelly notes, “Queen Victoria drank a big swig of laudanum every morning” to alleviate various ailments, including menstrual pain. Legal cocaine provided her with vitality, while chloroform served a purpose during childbirth.

The queen's own consumption paralleled the empire's economic strategies. Upon ascending the throne in 1837, she inherited a nation heavily reliant on Chinese tea, which caused a significant drain on silver resources. This led the empire to exploit opium cultivated in British-controlled India to mitigate trade deficits, rapidly increasing the opium trade’s significance to 15-20% of the empire's overall revenue.

Chinese official Lin Zexu's attempts to curb the opium trade went unheeded, culminating in the First Opium War in 1839. A decisive victory for Britain resulted in Hong Kong's cession, along with the opening of ports to British commerce and ensuring legal protections for British citizens. To Queen Victoria, the opium trade represented both personal gains and an imperial victory, broadening British supremacy while yielding substantial profits.

Notably, Queen Victoria's willingness to distribute opium globally did not extend to her private stash of cocaine. Kelly elaborates, “She was happy to sell them all the opium in the world, but they'd better not touch her cocaine.”

The opium empire forged under Queen Victoria’s reign illustrates the complex interplay between personal choices and imperial aspirations, thus influencing global trade, colonial strategies, and the historical narrative of narcotics. Her legacy is intertwined with her involvement in one of history’s most contentious and lucrative drug enterprises.

#Global