Why can't opium be burned directly?

The reason why opium can't be burned directly is that the residue after opium burning will be dug up by smokers and taken out again. Opium is soaked in salt water for half a day, and then destroyed by lime powder. The reason is that opium is dissolved in salt water, and the smoky soil is burned through the exothermic reaction of quicklime.

According to historical records, Lin Zexu used traditional methods to destroy opium-smoking soil mixed with tung oil, but the residue would seep into the ground, and drug addicts could get 20%~30% by digging. Later, Lin Zexu discovered the second method of destroying opium, the "seawater immersion method".

The method of seawater immersion is to dig two ponds at the seaside, lay stones at the bottom of the ponds, nail boards around them, and dig a ditch to prevent opium from leaking. Pour the salt water into the ditch and flow into the pool. Then cut the tobacco soil into four pieces, pour in salt water, soak for half a day, then add lime, and the lime will boil in water to dissolve the tobacco soil. The soldiers kept stirring in the pool with wooden harrows, so that the smoke soil was completely dissolved in the water. When the tide ebbs, send the pool water out of the ocean and wash the bottom with clean water.

Extended data

It is not too late for China to recognize and ban the harm of opium. At least in the seventh year of Yongzheng (1729), Yong Zhengdi promulgated the Regulations on Punishing the Promotion of Opium Tobacco and Opening Smoking Rooms and the Imperial edict on Applying for Banning the Sale of Opium and Opening Smoking Rooms, which is considered to be the first law banning opium in the world. Since then, many emperors have emphasized the prohibition of smoking.

/kloc-In the 9th century, British businessmen smuggled opium from India to China to make up for the trade deficit between China and Britain. 1In June, 839, China Qing government appointed an imperial envoy Lin Zexu to destroy opium in Humen, Guangdong Province, which eventually triggered the Opium War.

However, the failure of the Opium War led to the all-round proliferation of opium and other drugs. Until 1950s, opium was basically banned in China.