Opium trail: how the unassuming poppy became the root of B.C.’s drug crisis

This article discusses the opioid crisis and its evolution through time. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use, support is available. Call BC Addiction Services at 1-800-663-1441, or the Opioid Treatment Access Line at 1-833-804-8111.

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Since the dawn of mankind, humans have sought countless ways to manage and alleviate their pain, whether psychological or physical.

Through the ages, from ancient remedies to modern therapies, one small, unassuming plant has shaped the course of history like no other.

Around 3400 BC, the Sumerians, the world’s oldest known civilization, first cultivated the opium poppy in lower Mesopotamia, calling it Hul Gil, or the ‘joy plant.’

Harvested for its milk-like sap, the poppy plant produces opium, a potent substance that was haile