Dope by Sax Rohmer (1919) was about cannabis rather than opium…

Dope is a 1919 novel by Sax Rohmer set in the Limehouse area of London. It is not a Fu Manchu novel, and concerns itself with cannabis rather than opium.

Dope is a novel by Sax Rohmer that follows a young man, Jack Glover, whose life is changed when he discovers the secrets of the opium trade. While the novel does touch on the dangers of opium use, it is primarily focused on the dangers of cannabis use, particularly in the form of hashish. Rohmer’s novel serves as a warning of the dangers of cannabis use, depicting it as a dangerous and potentially addicting drug that leads to criminal behavior. The novel follows Jack as he struggles with his own cannabis use, as well as the criminal enterprise that he has become involved in. Dope is a cautionary tale, and serves as a reminder of the dangers of cannabis use, particularly at a time when the drug was becoming increasingly popular.

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