Istanbul on time “capital of heroin” Let alone knowing that it existed, this substance, which cannot be named at the moment, had the capacity to produce an average of three tons per month.

So how did this dangerous substance get banned? To be more precise, how was it legal enough to establish a factory at that time?

During the Ottoman period, opium was an important trade item that increased export revenues and made a serious contribution to the economy.

However, what stands out here is; The main actors in international trade were British and American companies, and not the Turks. This showed that the real income for the country came from them. Even during the Republican period, Turkey was leading Opium, one of the export products, It maintained its strong role for many years in the Ottoman period.

The opium plant, known for thousands of years for its recreational properties, was also very interesting for the medical world. German pharmacist Friedrich SertürnerHe obtained a compound from this plant in 1804 and named it “morphine”, inspired by Morpheus, the god of sleep in mythology.

Morphine became widely used in medicine in a short time, but given its addiction disadvantage, it will replace morphine in laboratories. The search for an effective but non-addictive drug began.

British in 1874 Invention of Charles Romley Alder Wright, In 1898, it was made into a commercially available product in the laboratories of the Bayer company in Germany. Felix Hoffmann developed diacetylmorphine in the laboratories of Bayer.

People have described feeling great when they took diacetylmorphine.

Bayer, this drug “Heroin” He introduced it to the market in 1898 and this drug became a major brand. Yes, you’re not reading it wrong. Heroin was also supported by medical experts and was announced as reducing morphine addiction through clinical trials.

Within two years, Bayer’s product was widely available in various forms such as lozenges, water-soluble tablets and cough syrup. Heroin production per month up to a ton reaches. This drug was easily found in pharmacies and even markets, and was consumed by people uncontrollably.

Anti-opium and morphine measures have come to the fore in many countries, especially the US.

about opium The first international meeting took place in Shanghai, China, in 1909. During the meeting, the issue of banning production, use and trade except for medical purposes was discussed.

Although the Ottoman Empire was invited to the Shanghai Conference, it did not participate. That is why he was involved in a more comprehensive international conference in The Hague on December 1, 1911. Major producer and processor of opium 12 states came together But again, there was no consensus on the issue.

This time 24 countries attended the conference, which was held for the second time in 1913 at the invitation of the Netherlands. At this conference, under the influence of the US, countries An important legal infrastructure was created that influenced national laws.

The Ottoman Empire did not want to sign the contract because it would suffer economic losses.

After the crisis, the contract It was decided to implement it by countries other than the Ottoman Empire and Serbia. Heroin’s economic contribution to the country continued for years. Even as we entered the Republican era, the Republic of Turkey continued the resistance it inherited from the Ottoman Empire.

In that time Turkish industry was weak and trade was mainly based on imports. The consequences of the war were still not over. During this difficult period, agricultural exports provided an important alternative to the economy.

Opium does With the highest income per hectare It was an agricultural product. Blue poppy, which has a long history in Anatolia and was widely cultivated during the Ottoman Empire, was a profitable agricultural product sought by pharmaceutical factories around the world due to its high morphine content.

Usually too Izmir, Aydın, Manisa, Karahisar, Kütahya, Eskişehir, Konya, Malatya, Kırklareli, Edirne and Tekirdağ It was produced in provinces such as.

The world’s highest quality opium was grown and freely marketed in Turkey.

There were no legal restrictions on heroin production, which created an attractive opportunity for large trafficking organizations. Entrepreneurs visiting Turkey, Three heroin factories were established in Istanbul and they saw that not many people knew that they had been producing for years. How were these factories founded?

Japanese in 1926 in Taksim They started production by forming a company called Oriental Products Company. Second heroin factorywas founded in 1929 by Ecza-i Tıbbiye ve Kimyeviye (ETKİM) and started its operations in Eyüp. The third factory was established in Kuzguncuk in 1929 by the Turkish Pharmaceutical and Chemical Company (TETKAŞ).

The common feature of these factories was that they were partners of international drug dealers.

Due to legal loopholes and lack of control, Istanbul quickly became a coup “capital of heroin” became. While the total capital of 27 industrial companies in Turkey amounted to 10 million liras in 1929, the profits of heroin factories eclipsed these figures and reached enormous levels. The annual budget of the factories exceeded 4 million liras, and the profits obtained turned into a power beyond any control.

responsible for inspecting factories Ministry of Health and Social Affairs It was clearly seen as ineffective.

American newspapers appeared in the 1930s “Our Turkiye Problem” He started making news under the title and placed Turkey at the center of illegal drug production and trafficking.

In this news, Turkey has not signed the Hague and Geneva Conventions, “behavior outside the civilized world” It was emphasized as. This situation turned into a boycott, first in the US and then in Europe.

In the midst of a global boycott that has significantly affected Turkish goods, and already under the influence of a great world depression Turkiye’s economy was seriously affected. All goods coming from Turkey, whether in America or Europe, were strictly checked at customs and subjected to bureaucratic procedures that sometimes lasted for days.

During this period, the number of news and articles in the foreign press accusing Turkey of drugs increased.

Tan newspaper, 1937.

This situation also arose during the meeting of the Opium Commission of the League of Nations, which began in Geneva on January 9, 1931. Turkish drug production and its role in trade shaped the discussions at the heart of the committee, and the committee report included statements accusing Turkey. During this period, the chairman of the Turkish delegation in Geneva was Hasan Saka, the chairman of the board of directors of the Kuzguncuk heroin factory.

With a decree of May 20, 1931, the activities of heroin factories were reorganized. This decree imposed strict controls and restrictions on factory production, exports and sales.

In particular, through the inspections of factory owners for illegal activities such as smuggling, He was scheduled to be punished under Article 403 of the Criminal Code. Another decree closed the ETKİM heroin factory in Eyüp.

Atatürk held a cabinet meeting on this issue on December 23, 1932.

The meeting accepted the Hague and Geneva agreements, A program was announced including measures to prevent closed heroin factories from reopening. However, obstacles were encountered in the Turkish Grand National Assembly to implement this program.

Drug and smuggling lobby; It included influential names such as Vice Chairman of the Turkish Grand National Assembly Hasan Saka, Interior Minister Şükrü Kaya and Cumhuriyet newspaper owner Yunus Nadi. Even if they could avoid this situation, the expected law was finally passed on January 14, 1933, after a year of opposition by this lobby. Under international pressure, the Turkish government has since 1933 It imposed a severe restriction on poppy cultivation.

in 1936 The number of provinces where poppies are planted has increased from 62 to 17, opium production fell from 200 thousand tons to 80 thousand tons per year. On May 31, the Narcotics Monopoly was established within the Ministry of Economic Affairs. Stands; While it monopolized the production, export and import of opium, morphine and its derivatives, it liberalized the domestic trade in raw opium.

This is a dangerous situation in the world right now. the drug heroin This is how the story of his passage from our country began and ended, at least legally.

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