But before long, it kills him. Opium is a poison, undermining our good customs and morality. Its use is prohibited by law. He should be turned over to the Board of Punishment, and should be tried and severely sentenced. However, recently the purchases and eaters of opium have become numerous.
Deceitful merchants buy and sell it to gain profit.
If we confine our search for opium to the seaports, we fear the search will not be sufficiently thorough. We should also order the general commandant of the police and police- censors at the five gates to prohibit opium and to search for it at all gates. If they capture any violators, they should immediately punish them and should destroy the opium at once. As to Kwangtung and Fukien, the provinces from which opium comes, we order their viceroys, governors, and superintendents of the maritime customs to conduct a thorough search for opium, and cut off its supply. Emperor - 1811 Ch'ien Chieh memorialized that opium from the overseas countries has infiltrated into the Interior and has caused so much harm that he petitions Us to prohibit it with all severity.