A dispensary—or pacharagh—was not merely a shop or a public den for consuming opium; it was a social institution. Visitors entered these dimly lit spaces to smoke opium from pipes, often with the assistance of women known colloquially as “barmaids.” These women would prepare and light the pipes, engaging with customers in a ritualized act that blurred the line between service and companionship. The term pacharagh itself carried a strong cultural stigma. It became almost synonymous with kharabat (ruin), a word used in Persian poetry and colloquial speech to denote moral and spiritual decay.
In addition to opium, dispensaries also provided other narcotics and intoxicants. Hashish, local herbal mixtures, and occasionally imported substances were available, making these places hubs of illicit trade. For many, the pacharagh represented both an escape from daily hardships and a descent into ruin.
