Which dangerous drug, whose generic name was originally a trade name, was first developed in Germany in 1898?

In 1898, the German pharmaceutical company Bayer began marketing a powerful new cough suppressant that was also intended to be a non-addictive substitute for morphine. The company gave it the trade name Heroin, a name derived from the German word "heroisch," meaning "heroic," to describe the powerful and euphoric feeling it produced in early test subjects. For years, it was sold over-the-counter in many countries to treat ailments ranging from the common cold to tuberculosis.

The drug’s miraculous reputation was short-lived. Researchers soon discovered that its active ingredient, diacetylmorphine, was actually twice as potent as morphine and converted back into morphine in the brain, making it dangerously addictive. Following Germany's defeat in World War I, Bayer lost its trademark rights to the name as part of the Treaty of Versailles. By then, the name was so widespread that it effectively became the generic term for the illicit substance.

What began as a promising medical product over a century ago is now a central figure in the ongoing global opioid crisis. This historical origin provides a stark contrast (Review) to the drug's modern reality, making its story a tragically relevant current event as communities continue to grapple with its devastating legacy.