The background against which the Anglo-Chinese opium I and II Wars of 1839/1842 and 1856/1860 were fought was due to flooding of the opium by the British merchants to China from India.
The proliferation of opium into China had the effect of drop in price, local consumption increased rapidly and the drug penetrated all levels of Chinese society. “This had a devastating effect on the Chinese population while local officials profited greatly from bribes and taxes involved”.