History & Area Studies / Thematic History / Social & Cultural History

I Collected Opium Pipes for Art. Then I Became an Addict.

Opium Fiend: A 21st-Century Slave to a 19th-Century Addiction

Steven Martin

Steven Martin was a respected historian and collector of antique opium pipes—masterpieces of craftsmanship from 19th-century Asia. But his obsession with the artifacts led him to try the drug itself. And that’s when his life fell apart. This is the true story of how a scholar became a slave to one of the most addictive substances in history. He documents the brutal reality of withdrawal, the hidden history of opium in Victorian London, and the shocking truth about how the U.S. is the best place to find unused opium antiques. If you think you understand addiction, this story will change your mind.