The poppy plant grew forever. People consumed it for a long time and it was no problem. As a raw plant it caused no serious health problems.

Eventually someone figured out how to refine part of it and found that refined part brought them pleasure. Then people refined it more. To their credit, they found helpful uses for it, but then others realized they could make a lot of money on turning it into a powder or other highly refined form and selling it. It made people feel very good. They would forget about their problems while under the influence.

Their addiction also led them to let go of the rest of their lives. Many destroyed their health because of it, driving them back to consume more of it, to make them feel good instead of facing the results of what their addiction was doing to their bodies and lives. Sickest of all, people who made money off of it would push it on children to young to know better to get them hooked.

The government tries to regulate it, but the sellers make so much money they undermine efforts to stop it. Its trade is a global epidemic with people dying all over the world because of this addiction. People who abuse it are overwhelming the health care system.

Wait, did I say poppy?

Sorry, I was talking about sugar cane and other sources of sugar. That’s what I wrote about.

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