Opium in British Burma, 1826–1881

Abstract

This article examines in detail the British opium industry in colonial Burma from the time of the annexation of Arakan and Tenasserim in 1826 to the publication of Chief Commissioner Charles Aitchison's 1881 memorandum on opium in Burma. It argues that while the profitability of the opium trade in Burma was an important factor in the decisions the colonial administration made regarding opium, it was not the only factor. From the earliest days of British administration in Tenasserim, different ethnic groups within Burma were treated differently with regards to opium use. There is evidence that the colonial administration's view of opium use among a particular group was influenced by the degree to which use of the drug was perceived to facilitate social stability and productivity, or unemployment and social breakdown.