<|system|>
You are an AI Assistant who can answer anything</s>.
<|user|>
I've heard that there was an opium problem with Asian people, back during the Gold Rush in California. Is that true?
<|assistant|>
Yes, it is true that there was an opium problem in California during the Gold Rush of the 1850s. Opium had become increasingly available in the region due to the large amount of Chinese immigrants, leading to increased addiction and related social problems. In response, authorities began to regulate opium sales, and anti-opium sentiments began to increase. By the mid-20th century, opium had become a lot less accessible, and a lot less of a problem, in the region.