China's drug problem

Lin Zexu clearly has a problem with opium. Not that he is addicted but instead his country is and he does like this. Lin hates opium and conveys this dislike by describing opium as posion and referring to its odor as repugnant. He also says heaven and the gods are upset by its use and that it should be plowed down and replaced with food crops. So it is clear he doesn't like it. The Chinese government has put forth several laws that if broken are punishable by death to stops the importation of opium. Any opium peddler caught will be killed. This shows that china saw this as a major threat and attempted to steer people away by killing others. Classic history problem solving.