“Mike Jay, the author of High Society, a history of mind-altering drugs, introduces his new book and heads to China to cover the opium wars.

“High Society explores the spectrum of drug use across the globe and throughout history, from its roots in animal intoxication to its future in designer neurochemicals.

“Designed to accompany the 2010 Wellcome Collection exhibition, the book is beautifully illustrated with rarely seen material from the museum’s collections.”