have a Chinaman at (one's) neck

To suffer from an addiction to narcotics or the withdrawal symptoms caused by it. A derogatory phrase, it likely refers to opium's classical association with Southeast Asia. Having that Chinaman at her neck has kept Janet out of work for years. I want to get clean and turn my life around, but having this Chinaman at my neck is absolute torture.

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Lowell	['ləuəl]
Alea	ə-LEE-ə	English (Rare)
Hermanus	-	Dutch, Ancient Germanic (Latinized)
Hovsep	-	Armenian
Makari	-	Russian (Archaic)
Akakios	-	Greek, Ancient Greek