H-ASIA: Term for opium query (fwd)

[Gary Tubb]

On chandu: in Marathi and Gujarati the corresponding word is caNDol or
caNDul.  M. B. Belsare in _An Etymological Gujarati-English Dictionary_
refers the latter word to Gujarati candrus, corresponding to Hindi
candras.  This is from Persian sandaros or Arabic sandaruus, euqivalent
to Greek sandarake, whence (via Latin) English sandarac, the name of a
resin or gum used for its smoke and as a source of pounce and varnish
(it has other meanings as well).  As with many articles of ancient trade,
the ultimate origin of the name is unclear.