In ”Smoke and Ashes,” Amitav Ghosh takes the reader through a broad, yet deeply personal exploration of opium’s history, its trade and consumption, as well as how it shapes the world we live in today.

The Taliban claims opium poppy cultivation was stopped and the flow of illegal drugs halted when it was last in power in Afghanistan. But although there was a sharp drop in 2001 - when it was last ...

Dim sum and cocktails are a match made in heaven, so find some solace from the hubbub of Chinatown and have a drink (or three) in this seductively secretive Soho spot (if you manage to find it). The ...

The stalks fly in the air, as does the sap from the poppy bulb, releasing the distinctive, pungent smell of opium in its most raw form. Within a matter of minutes, Abdul and a dozen other men raze ...