Heroin is an opioid drug derived from morphine. It was first synthesized in 1874 and was used medically and commercially until the 1920s when laws were passed to restrict its use and distribution. Heroin can be administered via injection, inhalation, snorting or smoking and leads to both short-term intoxication and long-term addiction. Chronic heroin use is associated with negative health, social, economic, and legal consequences. While heroin still has medical uses such as pain management, it remains a dangerous and highly addictive drug.