"Opium teaches only one thing, which is that aside from physical suffering, there is nothing real"

The quote "Opium teaches just one thing, which is that aside from physical suffering, there is nothing real" by Andre Malraux recommends that the use of opium, or any other drug, can make an individual detach from truth. Opium might provide short-term relief from physical pain, but the user loses sight of what genuinely matters in life. Malraux appears to recommend that this addiction can prevent a specific from experiencing reality totally or accepting the complexities of life, both good and bad. The quote is a cautionary tale against depending on drugs as a way of getting away difficulty instead of finding healthy coping mechanisms.