Bayer Aspirin and Heroin 1898-1910

5 From 1898 through to 1910, heroin was marketed as a cough suppressant by trusted companies like Bayer -- alongside the company's other new product, Aspirin.



From wikipedia:

In 1895, the German drug company Bayer marketed diacetylmorphine as an over-the-counter drug under the trademark name Heroin.^[56] The name was derived from the Greek word "Heros" because of its perceived "heroic" effects upon a user.^[56] It was developed chiefly as amorphine substitute for cough suppressants that did not have morphine's addictive side-effects. Morphine at the time was a popular recreational drug, and Bayer wished to find a similar but non-addictive substitute to market. However, contrary to Bayer's advertising as a "non-addictive morphine substitute," heroin would soon have one of the highest rates of dependence among its users.^[57]

I love all these vintage posts!

Wow! Look at that. Coca Cola used to have cocaine in its formula and hence the name Coke.

Heroin also goes by diamorphine in the U.K. where it is used to alleviate severe pain as well as for addicts.

Scary!

How scary if pts switched to asking for diamorphine instead of dilaudid.

Quote from thelema13How scary if pts switched to asking for diamorphine instead of dilaudid.

...well at least they have a good intention for selling heroin!