In 1887, Idaho passed a statute that explicitly punished 'every white person' who kept or used an opium den, reflecting the racialized nature of early American drug laws. This law, one of the most blatantly discriminatory in U.S. history, was driven by fears of white women being corrupted in dens run by Chinese immigrants, highlighting the intersection of racism and drug policy.

Idaho's 1887 opium law is a stark example of the racial politics of drug prohibition, a subject that has been examined in critical legal studies and historical fiction. The law's explicit targeting of white persons has been referenced in contemporary poetry and prose to illustrate the enduring legacy of racism in American drug policy, inspiring works that challenge the criminalization of addiction.