Common Street Names for Drugs

People actively misusing legal or illicit substances use slang terms for many reasons—ranging from avoiding detection by law enforcement to ensuring privacy in written and verbal communication. If you suspect that someone you love is misusing drugs, watch for repeated use of odd, unrecognized, or seemingly slang terms.

Examples of slang terms for many of the more commonly misused substances are included below.

Popular Slang Terms by Drugs

Slang Terms for Alcohol

Alcohol—This is the most commonly used substance by adults. Slang terms may refer to the brand or variety of alcohol or may be more general. Non brand-specific street names include:

• Booze
• Juice
• Hooch
• Sauce
• Rotgut

Street Names for Cocaine

Cocaine—This white powder substance is commonly abused for its euphoric stimulant effects. Some street names include:

• Blow
• Bump
• C
• Charlie
• Coke
• Snow
• Toot
• Coca
• Soda Cot

Street Names for Crack

Crack Cocaine—The yellowish rock known as “crack” is a version of cocaine that is smoked to produce an intense, immediate, and short-lasting high. It will share some street names with the powder form, as well as specific names like:

• Candy
• Flake
• Rock

Street Names for Dimethyltryptamine

Dimethyltryptamine—A hallucinogenic substance derived from plants in South America, it is known for its short but intense effects. It is often referred to as:

• DMT
• Dimitri
• Businessman’s Trip

Street Names for Gamma-Hydroxybutyric Acid (GHB)

Gamma-Hydroxybutyric Acid (GHB)—This medication is used to treat narcolepsy but may be abused for its ability to induce euphoria. It is sometimes used as a date rape drug. Slang terms for GHB include:

• G
• Georgia Home Boy
• Goop
• Grievous Bodily Harm
• Liquid Ecstasy
• Liquid X
• Soap
• Scoop

Street Names for Heroin

Heroin—This substance, which is essentially a modified form of the morphine alkaloid derived from opium poppies, can be consumed numerous ways (e.g. snorting, smoking, or injection), leading to an intense and addictive high. Common heroin street names include:

Street Names for Inhalants

Inhalants—A group of abused substances that comprises a wide range of solvents, glues, and other volatile products often found around the home. Inhalants give off fumes or vapors, which are then inhaled by the user, providing them with a short-lived but dangerous high. Depending on the type, they may be referred to as:

• Dusters
• Gluey
• Huff
• Laughing Gas
• Poppers
• Rush
• Snappers
• Whippets

Street Names for Ketamine

Ketamine—This dissociative drug is mainly used in veterinary medicine and results in feelings of detachment from reality. It is often called:

• Cat Tranquilizer
• Cat Valium
• Jet K
• K
• Kit Kat
• Purple
• Special K
• Vitamin K

Street Names for Khat

Khat—This plant grown in Africa and the Middle East can be chewed to produce a sense of euphoria and increased energy. Commonly referred to as:

• Abyssinian Tea
• African Salad
• Catha
• Chat
• Cat
• Oat

Street Names for LSD

Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD)—This hallucinogenic substance distorts reality and can produce drug-induced psychosis. Profoundly negative effects are often referred to as “bad trips.” Street names include:

• Acid
• Blotters
• Blue Heaven
• Cubes
• Dots
• Mellow Yellow
• Microdot
• Window Pane
• Yellow Sunshine

Street Names for Marijuana

Marijuana—This psychoactive drug substance with the active ingredient delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is used frequently with increased legal status. It is referred to by numerous street names, including:

Hashish

Hashish—A concentrated form of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) produced from the same plants that produce marijuana, it is available as an oily substances or a hard resin. It may be called:

• Boom
• Dabs
• Gangster
• Hash
• Hemp

Street Names for MDMA

3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA)—This stimulant substance has combined effects of increasing energy/alertness, as well as creating hallucinogenic effects. Commonly called “ecstasy,” but may be also be referred to as:

Street Names for Mescaline

Mescaline—Found in varieties of cacti, this substance induces perceptual disturbances and pleasurable mood changes. Slang names include:

• Peyote
• Buttons
• Cactus
• Mesc

Street Names for Methamphetamine

Methamphetamine—This powerful stimulant increases energy and activity levels while decreasing the need for sleep. This substance is associated with poor decision-making, violence, and dangerous, erratic behaviors. Users are often called “tweakers,” while the substance is commonly called:

Street Names for Dextromethorphan

Dextromethorphan—Found in certain over-the-counter cough and cold medicines, this substance produces hallucinations and paranoia when taken in large doses. Street names include:

• CCC
• Dex
• Poor man’s PCP
• Robotripping
• Robo
• Skittles
• Triple C
• Velvet

Street Names for Phencyclidine (PCP)

Phencyclidine(PCP)—Previously used as a surgical anesthetic, PCP can create a sense of profound dissociation and can sometimes elicit psychotic symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations. Users may refer to it as:

• Angel Dust
• Boat
• Hog
• Love Boat
• Peace Pill
• Sherm
• Mixed with marijuana: Zombie Weed.

Street Names for Psilocybin

Psilocybin—Grown in North and South America, these mushrooms can trigger hallucinations, the inability to track time, and an altered sense of reality. They may be called:

• Little Smoke
• Magic Mushrooms
• Purple Passion
• Shrooms

Street Names for Salvia

Salvia—A naturally-occurring herb that is native to Mexico, this substance results in feelings of separation from the body and confusion. Salvia’s street names include:

• Magic Mint
• Maria Pastora
• Sally-D
• Shepherdess’s Herb
• Diviner’s Sage

Street Names for Steroids

Steroids—Legally available to treat hormone deficits, anabolic steroids are abused by those looking to add muscle mass or aid recovery following exercise. Commonly referred to as:

• Arnolds
• Juice
• Gym Candy
• Pumpers
• Roids
• Stackers
• Weight Gainers

Street Names for Synthetic Cannabinoids

Synthetic Cannabinoids—A combination of herbs with chemicals added to produce a “high,” this “synthetic marijuana” can be more potent and more problematic than marijuana.

• K2
• Spice
• Black Mamba
• Bliss
• Bombay Blue
• Fake Weed
• Fire
• Genie
• Moon Rocks
• Smacked
• Yucatan
• Zohai

Street Names for Bath Salts

Synthetic Cathinones (Bath Salts)—These substances are man-made chemicals that are related to the natural substances found in khat. They can produce a strong sense of euphoria, as well as dangerous and erratic behaviors. Bath salts are generally referred to by their many brand names, including:

• Bloom
• Cloud Nine
• Cosmic Blast
• Flakka
• Ivory Wave
• Lunar Wave
• Scarface
• Vanilla Sky
• White Lightning

This segment covers a large amount of substances with tremendous variability. They may be described as “painkillers” in a generic sense. Though the drugs in this group produce similar effects of decreased perceptions of pain and a pleasurable “high,” the strength and specific effects may vary somewhat. Prescription opioid narcotics include:

Codeine

Codeine:

• Captain Cody
• Cody
• Schoolboy
• Codeine syrup mixed with alcohol: Lean, Sizzurp, and Purple Drank
• Codeine mixed with the sedative glutethimide: Doors and Fours, Loads, Pancakes and Syrup

Fentanyl

Fentanyl:

• Apache
• China Girl
• China White
• Dance Fever
• Friend
• Goodfella
• Jackpot
• Murder 8
• Tango and Cash
• TNT

Hydrocodone

Hydrocodone(Norco, Vicodin, Lorcet and Lortab):

• Hydro
• Narco
• Vickies
• Vike
• Watson-387

Hydromorphone

Hydromorphone (Dilaudid):

• D
• Dillies
• Dust
• Footballs
• Juice
• Smack

Meperidine

Meperidine (Demerol):

• Demmies
• Pain killer

Methadone

Methadone:

• Amidone
• Fizzies
• Wafer
• Methadone mixed with MDMA: Chocolate Chip Cookies

Morphine

Morphine:

Oxycodone

Oxycodone:

• Hillbilly Heroin
• Kicker
• O.C
• Oxycet
• Oxycotton
• Oxy
• Percs
• Roxy

Oxymorphone

Oxymorphone (Opana):

• Biscuits
• Blue Heaven
• Blues
• Mrs. O
• O Bomb
• Octagons
• Stop Signs

Street Names for Prescription Sedatives

These substances calm the body and mind and trigger relaxation and drowsiness. There are numerous types of sedatives.

Barbiturates

Barbiturates like pentobarbital and phenobarbital:

Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines like Xanax, Valium, Ativan, and Klonopin:

• Benzos
• Blue V
• Candy
• Downers
• Sleeping Pills
• Tranks
• Rohypnol: Roofies, Roofinol, Rope, Rophies

Sleeping Pills

Prescription sleep aids like Ambien, Lunesta, and Sonata:

• Forget-Me Pill
• Mexican Valium
• R2
• Roche

Street Names for Prescription Stimulants

This group of substances are commonly used to treat physical and mental health conditions like attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy.

Amphetamines

Amphetamines like Adderall and Benzedrine:

• Bennies
• Black Beauties
• Crosses
• Hearts
• LA Turnaround
• Speed
• Truck Drivers
• Uppers

Methylphenidate

Methylphenidate (Concerta, Ritalin):

• JIF
• MPH
• R-ball
• Skippy
• The Smart Drug
• Vitamin R

Helping a Loved One With Drug Misuse or Addiction

Identifying and learning more about the substances that a loved one is misusing can be a good step toward helping them in their recovery from drug abuse or addiction. If you know or suspect a drug problem, you may wish to consult with an addiction or substance use professional to learn more about your next steps in the process.

If you are seeking more information about addiction treatment options that might be appropriate for yourself or a loved one, please call American Addiction Centers (AAC) free at .

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