When did the evil opium trade between Britain and China begin?

Opium was originally imported into China as a medicine. Portuguese and Dutch businessmen based in Macau import a small amount of opium to China every year. After the late Ming Dynasty, some people began to smoke opium, which became a hobby, and the import of opium began to increase. 1727 (the fifth year of Yongzheng), Britain imported 200 boxes of opium to China for the first time, each weighing 133 Jin. 1729 (the seventh year of Yongzheng), the Qing government announced the ban on opium for the first time, which shows that the Qing government has realized the harm of opium. 1757 (the 22nd year of Qianlong), Britain occupied Bengal, an Indian opium-producing area, and the opium imported into China increased accordingly, reaching 1000 boxes in 1767 (the 22nd year of Qianlong). 1773, the East India Company squeezed out the influence of Dutch and Danish companies and monopolized the opium produced in Bangladesh, Bihar and Orissa. Wheeler, the vice chairman of the company, suggested that the company directly trade opium with China. But in the first few years, the opium trade was still in the hands of "Hong Kong businessmen". This year, the British and Indian governments decided to export a large amount of opium to China to balance the British trade deficit with China. Bangladeshi Governor warren hastings declared: "Opium is not a necessity, but a harmful luxury, which is not allowed except for the purpose of foreign trade (according to which foreign trade here is actually trade with China). A wise government should strictly limit domestic opium consumption. 1780 (forty-five years of Qianlong), the East India Company prohibited Hong Kong businessmen from continuing opium trade and monopolized the opium trade rights in their own hands. 178 1 year, the Bangladeshi government sent an armed merchant ship full of opium to China. 1794 (59th year of Qianlong), the East India Company sent another big ship loaded with opium to dock at Huangpu. 1797, the East India Company began to monopolize opium production. Since 1798, the East India Company no longer directly traded opium in person, but auctioned the company's opium to private tobacco dealers, who sold it to China. From then on, the East India Company pretended that it had nothing to do with opium trade, and even concluded a treaty banning opium trade. Marx hit the nail on the head and pointed out the hypocrisy of the East India Company's "speculation with civilization", revealing that the East India Company, as the Indian government, "forced some Indian Wright (that is, Indian farmers) to grow poppies, and used loans to induce other Wright to grow poppies. It tightly monopolized the whole production of this poison ","The dried poppy and the preparation of opium were made to suit the tastes of opium users in China, and the opium was packed in boxes specially designed for smuggling and transported to Kolkata, where the opium was auctioned by the government at a clearly marked price, handed over by state officials to speculators, and then handed over to smugglers, who then transported it to China. "(1) In addition, the East India Company also stipulated in the license issued to private ships trading with China that opium produced by non-East India Company shall not be carried, otherwise a fine will be imposed, and opium will be imported rapidly thereafter.