The opium-eater

What Hacker News says

1. keiferskiFeb 2026
   This seems like it was influenced by 1821’s Confessions of an Opium Eater, which is a very interesting read, far more than you’d probably assume.

   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confessions_of_an_English_Opiu...

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2. morpheos137Sep 2021
   People in physical or psychological pain deserve access to effective treatments. Outside of overdose, which is very rare if used as perscribed opioids are benign to the body compared to nicotine or alcohol. Where the problem comes from is they work so good people want more and they develop addiction and society restricts access due to moral stigma. Pharamceutical opioids perscribed by a doctor or methadone or buprenorphine maintenance is far better than using street drugs and yet access is difficult to get unless you already are into using street drugs. I find it curious how the same NPR set that hates pharmaceutical opioids supports abortion, euthansia and physical sex changing. Seems really inconsistent. During the heyday of open access to opioids in 19th century overdose was rare. Thomas de Quincy, who wrote "Confessions of an Opium Eater" functioned for I think about 20 years on the drug. Then he quit voluntarily. It is prohibition and restriction of access that is the problem. That said some habitual opioid users may be lazy and self centered. Not unlike some marijuana users or alcoholics or people in general.
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3. pmoriartyJan 2021
   To anyone interested in this genre, I would recommend Fitz Hugh Ludlow's The Hasheesh Eater.[1]

   I found it far more readable, interesting, and entertaining than De Quincey's Opium Eater, by which it was inspired.

   [1] - https://archive.org/details/66640730R.nlm.nih.gov

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