Dr. John Halpern and David Blistein reveal both a fascinating yet harrowing history in Opium, following the pipeline all the way back from the discovery of poppy artifacts in ancient Mesopotamia. Opium details early beginnings of Greek physicians and obscure chemists finding and studying opium's properties to first refine the substance, and subsequently how colonial empires marketed it around the world. This forged a future for world drug companies to develop the powerful synthetic opioids we're familiar with now, and directly influenced how we've arrived at one of today's most deadly crises—the epidemic of opium addiction.(This book may contain a sharpie mark on the top or bottom edge and may show mild signs of shelfwear.)