Drugs and Addiction

The Belle Époque's pursuit of sensation extended to widespread drug use across all social classes. Opium, morphine, cocaine, ether, and absinthe created chemical paradises and personal hells. The era's attitude—drugs as sophisticated vice rather than social problem—enabled epidemics of addiction.

Opium smoking, introduced through colonial connections, attracted artists and aristocrats to fumeries in certain quarters. These establishments, decorated in Oriental style, provided pipes, lamps, and attendants guiding novices through rituals. Jean Cocteau's later memoir described the fumerie's appeal: "Time stopped. Problems dissolved. One floated in amber dreams where everything was possible."

Morphine addiction often began medically. Doctors prescribed injections for pain, neurasthenia, and "female troubles." Patients, particularly women, became dependent. Elegant morphine kits—silver syringes in morocco cases—became fashion accessories. Society women gathered for "morphine teas," injecting together in refined settings. The drug's respectable origins masked its dangers.

Cocaine arrived as miracle drug, included in tonics, lozenges, and Vin Mariani (coca wine). Physicians prescribed it for depression, fatigue, and sexual dysfunction. By 1910, recreational use exploded. The drug particularly appealed to performers needing energy for nightly shows. The music hall star Mistinguett's erratic behavior and paranoia stemmed partly from cocaine abuse.

Ether parties represented youth rebellion. Students and young workers gathered to inhale ether-soaked rags, achieving quick intoxication. Several deaths from overdose or accidents during intoxication failed to discourage the practice. Parents and authorities panicked over "ether mania" while participants saw harmless fun.

Absinthe dominated café culture. The "green hour" from five to seven saw boulevards filled with drinkers performing the ritual—sugar cube dissolved through slotted spoon into cloudy green liquor. By 1910, France consumed 36 million liters annually. Critics blamed absinthe for crime, madness, and degeneracy. The murder of a family by an absinthe-drinking Swiss farmer in 1905 intensified prohibition campaigns.