San Francisco Opium den

opium den in san francisco boarding house, late 19th century

opium smoking arrived in north america large influx of chinese, came participate in california gold rush. jumping-off point gold fields san francisco, , city s chinatown became site of numerous opium dens after first chinese arrived, around 1850. however, 1863 end of century, anti-vice laws imposed new municipal code book banned visiting opium rooms in addition prostitution , other laws injure public morals. despite this, 1870s attracted many non-chinese residents san francisco s dens, prompting city fathers enact nation s first anti-drug law, 1875 ordinance banning opium dens. in 20th century, huge bonfires, fueled confiscated opium , opium paraphernalia, used destroy opium , create public venue discuss opium use.

opium-eradication campaigns drove opium smoking underground, still common in san francisco , other north american cities until around world war ii. typical opium den in san francisco might have been chinese-run laundry had basement, room, or upstairs room tightly sealed keep drafts making opium lamps flicker or allowing tell-tale opium fumes escape. photograph of 1 luxurious opium den in 19th-century san francisco has survived, taken i. w. taber in 1886, majority of city s wealthy opium smokers, both chinese , non-chinese, shunned public opium dens in favor of smoking in privacy of own homes.