Opium was first recorded in Singapore by a written document that record Stamford Raffles gifting opium to a local ruler in 1819 to establish Singapore. Opium then became accessible through trading and the opium farms in Singapore in the 19th century. It is one of the most traded good along the Sea Trade route after the end of the Opium Wars. With the rise of opium farms in Singapore, they acted as the middleman that help to process raw opium imported from British India, Persia, and Turkey to consumable opium and retail them to the Chinese coolies in local. In 1946, opium, including the tools (opium pipes and opium lamps), and opium dens are completely banned in Singapore. To treat the opium addicts, an Opium Treatment Centre was opened in 1955 and in 1989, the Singapore government extends the death penalty for opium traffickers.
Early history
Historical account suggest that the first appearance of opium (Papaver somniferum) in Singapore was in a written document that states Stamford Raffles offer the ruler Temenggong Abdul Rahman opium as a gift after signing a treaty with him to establish Singapore in 1819. Prior to this, opium was legalised and commonly used in Europe, Middle East, US, and China for centuries as a form of medicine; while opium smoking was seen as a common practice.
1819-1942: Colonial rule
Opium prohibition in China started in 1729 but there was still the use of opium due to smuggling of opium from the British as they have an increasing urge to trade opium with China for the demands of Chinese teas. To put a complete stop on opium use, destruction of opium was made under the command of the Daoguang Emperor. This led to the outbreak of opium wars. When the wars ended, the British signed treaties with China, promising the trade of opium. After this, opium trading was common in the Sea trade route from Britain to China.
When Singapore became a trading port of Britain, it executes the policy of free trade. Singapore then, imported and exported large amounts of opium from British India, Persia (now Iran), and Turkey to China and Britain which make it one of the most traded item along the Sea trade route. Subsequently, when Singapore opens up for settlement, Chinese immigrants and British Indians formed new labour forces for the economic activities in Singapore. However, the Chinese immigrants had previously been introduced to opium back in China and continued the habit of opium-smoking in Singapore. Opium thus became a commodity locally and is popular among the immigrants Chinese population. At that time, not only was opium legal, opium-smoking was also seen as a common social practice for both the rich and the poor Chinese immigrants; offering opium pipes were alike serving them teas. Singapore as a trading port traded 1285 chests of opium in 1836 and increased to 4689 chests of opium in 1856.
Opium farms
Before 1819, there were existing similar opium farms in earlier settlements of Penang and Melaka; it is common throughout the colonised states in Asia as a way for colonial countries to generate revenue from the foreign population.
After turning Singapore into a trading port, the British deployed an opium tax farming system to gain revenue; in 1830, the Opium Regulation was passed. The Singapore farms however, did nothing related to agriculture. The farmers purchased raw opium which was imported from other states, processed it into chandu , and distributes it to local opium shops for retail consumption by the Chinese coolies population.
Before the 1840s, no exact record of opium farms was found. It was in 1845 to 1860 that there were records of opium farms under Tay Eng Long, Lao Joon Teck, and Cheang Sam Teo. Between 1847 and 1853, the Temenggong was receiving $350 per month as rental fees for his opium and spirit farms. However, seeing the growth in population in Singapore and the demand for opium, they raise the rental fees for every new contract negotiation. In 1860, the rental fees increased to $8,000 per month. From 1860s onwards, there were increasingly competition for opium farms; forces of Johor farmers and Singapore farmers were openly fighting each other. Opium dens controlled by the farmers, spurred up rapidly with the secret societies.
Opium preparation
The Chinese farms had a procedure of making opium into chandu which is the process of making raw opium into consumable opium.