At the time, opium was legal and considered relatively safe in the West and the trade hungry British Empire considered China's refusal to allow imports of the drug an affront to their principals of free trade espoused by Adam Smith and other leading thinkers of the day.
Opium was legal and considered relatively safe in the West and the trade hungry British Empire. This was at the time. These West and the trade hungry British Empire were considered China's refusal to allow imports of the drug an affront to their principals of free trade. This free trade was espoused by Adam Smith. This free trade was espoused by other leading thinkers of the day.