Why does a horrible drug like heroin have a ‘heroic’ name?

Heroin derives from the same Greek word,heroes,that gave us the English hero and heroine.Although heroin's manufacture and distribution have long ago been outlawed around the world,the morphine derivative was devloped as a legimate painkiller.

 Heroin was originally a registered trademark taken by a German pharmaceutical company,so the brand name was consciously designed to evoke only positive associations.Not only was heroin effective as a painkiller,it also had the ‘bonus’ of giving patients a euphoric feeling,and as we know now,delusions of grandeur.Although these side effects can be deadly in an illicit drug,it was at first distinct selling point in marketinng heroin to physicians as a painkiller.


  (SOURCE:Reader’s Digest June 2009)

I am thinking from quite a long time (from last 3 months) to update my blog,but that's my biggest problem,i spend more time in thinking rather than in implementation.... :)