Heroin for Coughs
In 1898, Bayer (yes, the aspirin company) launched heroin as a miracle cough suppressant. Marketed as a “non-addictive” substitute for morphine, it was sold in syrup, lozenges, and even children’s remedies. Physicians loved it. Patients felt euphoric and pain-free—and big pharma had a hit product.
But the truth emerged quickly. Heroin metabolizes into morphine in the body, making it intensely addictive. Dependency skyrocketed, especially among unsuspecting users just trying to cure a sore throat. By the 1920s, governments began regulating it, and Bayer pulled the product. It remains one of history’s most ironic blunders: a drug meant to help people breathe easier left millions gasping under the weight of addiction.
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