What it is

In one sentence

Morphine is a strong prescription pain medicine (an opioid) used for moderate-to-severe pain when other treatments are not enough.

Where it comes from

It is a natural opioid made from the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum). It is the classic “benchmark” opioid that other pain medicines are often compared against. The FDA first approved morphine in 1941. It is still widely used in hospitals, cancer care, and end-of-life care.

Names you may see

• Generic: morphine, morphine sulfate
• Brand examples: MS Contin, Kadian, Duramorph, and others
• Often written as MSO4 on older hospital charts — that abbreviation is discouraged because it is easy to misread

Legal class

In the United States, morphine is a DEA Schedule II controlled substance. That means it has accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse, addiction, and fatal overdose. It is legal only with a valid prescription. Sharing, selling, or using someone else’s prescription is a crime.