Addiction to opiates is not a recent problem caused by cultural or societal changes- it is an ancient problem that has plagued man for so long that it could be argued that man actually evolved with opiate addiction as part of the overall human condition. In fact, evidence suggests that man had an extensive relationship with the poppy plant and opium 30,000 years ago during the Neolithic age. But while some experts might argue that this cannot be substantiated there is clear and well-established evidence that man was cultivating and using the poppy and opium more than 6,000 years ago. And based on modern science that has uncovered the neurological nature of the disease of addiction, we can be certain that man was addicted to opium at least that long ago.

The ancient Sumerians were expert record keepers and recorded most of their interactions in the world, including their use of opium. In fact, the Sumerian name for the poppy plant translates to "joy plant" in English, which makes a clear statement about what the plant and opium meant to this ancient culture more than 6,000 years ago.

Thousands of years after the Sumerians had disappeared from the face of the earth the Greeks recorded their own prolific use of opium. Greek citizens used opiates for everything from pain relief to aphrodisiacs to purely recreational uses. However, opium was also intently studied by Greek physicians who used it to treat practically every ailment known at the time. Even if the opium didn't directly cure or treat the chief complaint, the relaxant and euphoric effects of the drug were enough to offer at least partial relief.

But during this time there were essentially two schools of thought on opium: the first was mystical and postulated that opium had magical properties and the second was more scientific in essence and proposed that the effects of opium were very much grounded in physiology. However, over the next few centuries this debate was forgotten and opium use infiltrated every aspect of life in all castes and classes.

By the time the Roman Empire was at its greatest height recreational use of opium was rampant in nearly all ancient societies: African, Indian, Chinese and European peoples were all deeply dependent on opium. In fact it was quite literally the opium trade that made the world move during this time, with trade routes networking from ancient Britannia to ancient China and Germania to India. These civilizations were completely immersed in an opium culture that culminated in a series of wars between two of the largest world powers.

By the nineteenth century Britain had built a massive opium-based empire that stretched all the way to China. Chinese use of opium became so widespread that the government took severe action to reduce the level of opiate addiction. Troops were ordered to seize all shipments of opium and blockade all trades points to further shipments. The British government reacted immediately by mobilizing an army against China, resulting in a bloody conflict that became known as the First Opium War.

China was quickly vanquished and was forced to submit to British control of opium. But the Chinese were controlled and were essentially made into disposable junkies by Britain, so it wasn't long before the two countries went to war again. But in 1856 China was beaten so badly during the Second Opium War that all hope to control the drug in the country was lost. By the end of the century more than 24% of the adult male population was addicted to opium.

Meanwhile, the newly formed United States grew opium in vast tracts of land all over the country. Founding fathers, politicians and civilians alike used and grew opium for recreational and medicinal purposes. By the time the Civil War broke out, morphine had been synthesized from opium just in time for the development of the hypodermic needle. This resulted in thousands of drastic morphine addictions and their subsequent deaths.

In response the Bayer Company developed a treatment drug that was designed to treat even the most severe morphine addiction. This new miracle drug was called Heroin and quickly became the best-selling brand of all time; for obvious reasons.

Today opium addiction is still a severe problem, but when compared to ancient and even recent times the problems we deal with today seem somewhat controlled. If you have a problem with opiate addiction, there are extremely effective treatments available that can help you to quickly recover, but you have to take the first step and reach out for help right now.