These images vary from documented opium paraphernalia to a contrast between rich and poor opium users, to propaganda posters and anti-opium pills. The images open the readers eyes and bring a reality into the book. It enlightens the reader by bringing the written words to life with examples of the people, culture, and history. The authors use of photographs gives a break from reading to process the words and see the evidence of what one has just read, which is very powerful.
Narcotic Culture had many interesting points and ideas, however there are three emphasized topics that come to mind: Opium before the war, the war on drugs, and the aftermath. The first third of the book looks at the spread of all substances and opium before the war, the war on opium, as well as the consumption and uses of opium following the war. It makes a point of stating China is often seen in a light that portrays it as the only consumer country, where as opium was widely used in other countries for recreational and medical purposes, such as Turkey, Persia, and India.5 This notion is followed by a chapter that explains the culture and methods of using opium, before the war broke loose. From brewing tea to smoking from a pipe, opium soon because a big part of Chinese culture. Citizens used opium in medical and social settings, even as far as to establish smoking dens, where many people could come together and enjoy each other's company, along with the substance. However, with a newly instated prohibition policy, the imperial administrator dispatched commissioners to bring all opium imports to a halt, which segues into the next main discussion in the book, war.6 With China being seen as a victim of a 'drug plague,' even Chinese immigrants in the States were banned from using opium, in fear that they might develop an addiction and increase disease. This 'disease theory' of addiction further reinforced the movement towards prohibition, which angered the many people of China, as well as the Chinese-American immigrants.