I don't know about that; it was a war for a legalised drug trade rather than against it. It's notable that the Chinese tried to enforce a total ban on the trade

I don't know about that; it was a war for a legalised drug trade rather than against it. It's notable that the Chinese tried to enforce a total ban on the trade and to execute domestic traders, which resembles modern (failing) drug policy. The similarities probably end there though, as modern drug cartels and the British Empire are very different entities. It's also worth remembering that America was selling opium to China too, and that John Quincy Adams spoke in favour of the opium wars from a "free trade" stance.