More mysteries of opium reveal'd: 300 years of opiates

This year is the 300th anniversary of the publication of one of the first b ooks written about opiates and their subjective effects. Since that time th e influence of opiates in Western society has grown enormously, as has our knowledge of the mechanisms by which these drugs produce their effects. War s have been fought over the use of opiates and the economies of several cou ntries depend on their production. In this article, some aspects of the his tory and effects of opiates on the arts in particular are explored.