Tag Archives: heroin history

The Pharmaceutical Company Bayer Coined the Name “Heroin” and Marketed the Drug as a Non-Addictive Cough Medicine

Today I found out the pharmaceutical company Bayer coined the name “Heroin” and marketed the drug as a non-addictive cough medicine, among other uses. While opium itself has been commonly used since at least 3400 BC, heroin is a relatively new invention, derived from opium.  Heroin, more technically known as diacetylmorphine, was first synthesized in 1874 by chemist Charles Romley […]

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