Merchant's Reaction to OpiumRestriction Law Based on Islamic Parliament Documents(1910-1927)

During law governance era in Iran with the establishment of national parliament in 1906, drug consumption was not contrary to Islamic jurisprudence; however, the government by considering the conditions of the worldpassed opium restriction law in 1911 which was approved by the parliament and was thenenforced. Opiumrestriction law faced various reactions and disagreement by different groups of the society. Merchants and businessmen were among those groups that by sending complaints and telegraphs requested that the law be nullified, modified, or reduced. The present study, through considering Islamic Parliament documents, attempts to examine the reactions of merchants to opium restriction law and this way examines and evaluates the general reaction of merchants as a sample of law enactment of an important group in Iran who also had a leading role in Constitutionalism. Opiumrestriction law, despite disagreements, could overcome conventional and religious obstacles and paved the initial way for the Iranian society to move towards law enforcement and governance.