opium
//ˈoʊ.pi.əm//
Noun
opiumSingular
1
A highly addictive narcotic drug derived from the dried latex of the opium poppy, used historically as a painkiller and sedative.
Opium was widely used as a painkiller in the 19th century.
2
Something that dulls the senses or induces a false sense of contentment, often used metaphorically.
Television has become the opium of modern society.