There is always a need for intoxication: China has opium, Islam has hashish, the West has woman.
- Andre MalrauxOpium teaches only one thing, which is that aside from physical suffering, there is nothing real.
- Andre MalrauxNobody will laugh long who deals much with opium: its pleasures even are of a grave and solemn complexion.
- Thomas De QuinceyWhereas wine disorders the mental faculties, opium introduces amongst them the most exquisite order, legislation and harmony. Wine robs a man of self-possession; opium greatly invigorates it.
- Thomas De QuinceyAmong the remedies which it has pleased Almighty God to give to man to relieve his sufferings, none is so universal and so efficacious as opium.
- Thomas Sydenham