opium pipes in anime???

[jstb0b]

In practically every anime series I've watched, there is at least one character that constantly puffs on a pipe. I wonder, are they smoking opium? Japan is real strict on drugs so I doubt that being so. Nonetheless, the fashion of the pipes are very reminiscent of the ones used to smoke opium.

Now that I think of it, it tends to be ladies that use these long skinny pipes. In Japan, are cigarettes not fashionable for women to smoke? It would make sense as in anime, it seems that guys are the ones that smoke cigarettes whereas the women use pipes. A lot of animes that take place in Edo in medieval times have characters using these pipes. It would make sense historically as opium use was quite common back then.

I did a search and couldn't find anything relevant so I decided to post this on a forum that I actually belong to. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[Cane2theLeft]

I don't know anything about anime nor Japan's history with drugs so I can't comment but I never knew the Japanese had a history of opium.

I always associate opium with Chinese immigrants in San Francisco around the turn of the 19th century and the subsequent laws imposed more of out racism than concern about the pharmacology since of course the same drugs were widely available in patent medicine, Sears' catalogs, etc.

Either way, this isn't appropriate for OD so we can try it in DC so I can't promise this thread's fate beyond that.




--->DC

 

[delta_9]

Yes I know exactly what you're referring to and those are almost certainly tobacco pipes. Japan has not had the same problems with opium that china has. Some of them do indeed look like traditional opium pipes but that's just how most pipes were fashioned in asian countries back then.

Cane, it goes back way farther than that. That's just when the US started to take notice, but there has been a literal epidemic of opium addiction for a long time in china. It was truly the ruin of their country for centuries.

 

[Cane2theLeft]

^oh I know it goes back farther, I was explaining my first mental image when I think of opium. I studied the opium wars in some political science classes I've taken back when that was my major and I've read a little about the history of opium use in general. Its a very old substance!

 

[Solide]

I think you mean 'kiseru'. They reminded me of an opium pipe at first too, but they're ment for tobacco

 

[delta_9]

^If the OP if referring to anime set in the late 'Edo' or early 'Meiji' period then yes that was indeed the common tobacco smoking apparatus at the time.

 

[Regenesis2]

I agree with the above, it is most likely a reference to tobacco, and myself have never seen opium or cannabis used in anime. Japan got into the tobacco fix quickly, but opium was likely used there some and was around for analgesic properties until it was oultawed in the 19th century I believe. If you had a picture of the said pipe in question that would be nice.

 

[delta_9]

I agree with the above, it is most likely a reference to tobacco, and myself have never seen opium or cannabis used in anime. Japan got into the tobacco fix quickly, but opium was likely used there some and was around for analgesic properties until it was oultawed in the 19th century I believe. If you had a picture of the said pipe in question that would be nice.

I've sampled some 200+ animes and there have been very few references to cannabis indeed

 

[rickolasnice]

I always associate opium with Chinese immigrants in San Francisco around the turn of the 19th century and the subsequent laws imposed more of out racism than concern about the pharmacology since of course the same drugs were widely available in patent medicine, Sears' catalogs, etc.

Opium was smuggled by merchants from British India into China in defiance of Chinese prohibition laws. Open warfare between Britain and China broke out in 1839. Further disputes over the treatment of British merchants in Chinese ports resulted in the Second Opium War.

Started off being pushed on the chinese by the brits

 

[Regenesis2]

^^The few occasions I mentioned something about smoking weed to a Japanese person they looked at me in shock like I was talking about shooting up smack! Weed (and opium too) is very taboo in that society, probably worse than amps. However they drink and smoke cigs like nobody else it seems, you think they'd be down for a little cannabis.

 

[delta_9]

Cannabis is used the world over. You may have just been asking or speaking to the wrong people. When I was at the cannabis cup last november there were at least 100 japanese people peddling their wares and partaking in the smoke like the rest of us.
Sure, 100 may not be that many people, but trust me, plenty people in their 20s-30s(and even older) definitely use cannabis in japan.

 

[Fuzati]

I've sampled some 200+ animes and there have been very few references to cannabis indeed

Try "Samurai Champloo"
(by the sam team that did "Cowboy Bebop", and in this one there is an episode about shrooms => "muschroom samba" which is funny as hell)

 

[delta_9]

Try "Samurai Champloo"
(by the sam team that did "Cowboy Bebop", and in this one there is an episode about shrooms => "muschroom samba" which is funny as hell)

I've seen it. Shinichirō Watanabe is indeed brilliant.

If you'd like I could PM you a list of what's in my current extrenal HD. It's too long for a post though (120+ series/movies/OVAs and growing) It's just under a TB I think

I always enjoy sharing my love of anime with others.

 

[Regenesis2]

I'm aware that people are blazin' it up in Japan, but it's still rare. I also heard it is hard to get and very expensive in Japan. But, Japan does have legalization groups and maybe one day they will get some luck. Glad to see that some were able to enjoy themselves at the cannabis cup - I wish I could get there one day!
So what other animes have featured some cannabis use?

 

[Solide]

Try "Samurai Champloo"
(by the sam team that did "Cowboy Bebop", and in this one there is an episode about shrooms => "muschroom samba" which is funny as hell)

That mushroom episode is awesome

And I thought amphetamines were much more popular in Japan compared to weed was because of their work-ethic

 

[drug_mentor]

A little bit off topic but on the PS2 I used to have a Japanese samurai game called Onimusha Warlords or something and you could pick mushrooms, a certain type of mushroom would make your character laugh and say weird things after consuming them and it was obvious they were meant to be psilocybin containing mushrooms.

I know this isn't exactly related to anime or opium, but I just found it interesting as they are feautired in an anime as well. I used to be quite into anime and I honestly can't recall any drug use ever that wasn't in the form of alcohol or cigarettes.

 

[jstb0b]

From what little research I just did, I gather that opium really became taboo in the 1800s after the japanese realized how other countries f'ed up china with it. Being that china was quite influential in japan's medieval period, it would make sense that with all the feudal warfare going on, opium would be quite appealing. Being that drugs are very taboo in Japan now, I can understand that what's in the pipe isn't mentioned. Yes they did smoke tobacco out of those pipes too and like I said earlier perhaps it was more fashionable for women to use those instead of papers, but in some of these animes, men and women alike sometimes lay on their sides when puffing through these pipes.

^^ However they drink and smoke cigs like nobody else it seems, you think they'd be down for a little cannabis.

I know right? American 'morals' and all that.

That mushroom episode is awesome

And I thought amphetamines were much more popular in Japan compared to weed was because of their work-ethic

Meth, especially post ww2, has been their major drug problem. I agree, it's appealing because of the long hours they have to work.

I hated that cowboy bebop was so short, but i'm sure there have been other references in anime to psychotropic drugs as well. most of them are made up drugs like 'red eye' in episode one, but i think the references aren't direct due to the severity of japan's drug laws. lots of kids watch anime. speaking of which, anyone notice how some animes that are supposed to be for certain age groups are actually pretty damn explicit? gintama for example (funniest show ever btw).


remember, drug abuse is worse than samurais choppin' heads off. hypocrisy is a worldwide experience.