Drug Street Names: A Reference Glossary of Common Slang Terms
Almost every drug picks up informal names as it moves through communities, markets, and online conversations. These street names shift by region, era, and social group, and many overlap because chemically similar substances tend to share nicknames. This glossary is intended as an educational reference for parents, educators, clinicians, and anyone trying to make sense of unfamiliar slang. Recognizing a term is only a starting point — no single word confirms that a person is using or selling anything, and meaning always depends on context.
If you or someone close to you may be struggling with substance use, understanding the vocabulary is far less important than reaching out for help. Slang can help you notice a warning sign, but it is never a substitute for an honest conversation or a professional assessment.
Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines are central nervous system depressants prescribed for anxiety, insomnia, and seizures. As a class they are sometimes called bars, benzos, blues, chill pills, downers, nerve pills, planks, tranks, or zannies.
| Brand Name | Generic Name | Common Street Names |
|---|---|---|
| Ativan | Lorazepam | candy, downers, sleeping pills, tranks |
| Halcion | Triazolam | candy, downers, sleeping pills, tranks |
| Klonopin | Clonazepam | k, k-pin, pin, super valium |
| Librium | Chlordiazepoxide | candy, downers, sleeping pills, tranks |
| Rohypnol | Flunitrazepam | forget-me pill, la rocha, lunch money, mind eraser, roofies |
| Valium | Diazepam | eggs, jellies, moggies, vallies |
| Xanax | Alprazolam | bars, footballs, french fries, ladders, school bus, xan, xannies, z-bars |
Hallucinogens
Hallucinogens are psychoactive substances that alter mood, perception, thought, and a person's sense of reality. This category spans classic psychedelics, dissociatives, and several plant- and lab-derived compounds.
| Substance | Common Street Names |
|---|---|
| Ayahuasca | aya, hoasca, yagé |
| DMT (N,N-Dimethyltryptamine) | dimitri, the spirit molecule |
| GHB (Gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid) | g, geeb, georgia home boy, grievous bodily harm, liquid e |
| Ketamine | cat valium, green, jet, k, k-hold, special k, super acid, vitamin k |
| Khat | abyssinian tea, african salad, catha, chat, kat, oat, qat |
| Kratom | biak-biak, herbal speedball, ithang, kahyam, ketum, thom |
| LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide) | acid, blotter, dots, sugar cubes, yellow sunshine |
| Mescaline | big chief, buttons, cactus, mescal, moon, san pedro, topi |
| Psilocybin Mushrooms | boomers, caps, magic mushrooms, mushies, shrooms |
| PCP (Phencyclidine) | angel dust, dust, purple rain, rocket fuel, stardust, zombie |
| Peyote | black button, cactus, half moon, nubs, shaman, tops |
| Salvia Divinorum | diviner's sage, magic mint, maria pastora, sally-d |
| Synthetic Cathinones | bath salts, bliss, cloud nine, flakka, lunar wave, vanilla sky, white lightning |
Illicit Drugs
Illicit drugs are manufactured, sold, and used outside the law. Because they are unregulated, their purity and toxicity vary widely, and adulteration — including with fentanyl — is a serious and growing risk.
| Common Name | Other Names |
|---|---|
| Black Tar Heroin | chiva, mexican black tar, mexican tar |
| Cocaine | blow, charlie, coca, coke, crack (base form), powder, snow, stardust, white girl |
| Cocaine with Heroin | speedball |
| Crack Cocaine | dice, hail, moon rocks, nuggets, rock, sleet, sugar block, trey |
| Heroin | black pearl, brown sugar, china white, dope, the dragon, h, horse, junk, smack |
| Marijuana* | 420, bud, chronic, dope, flower, ganja, grass, herb, mary jane, pot, reefer, weed |
Marijuana's legal status varies widely by jurisdiction and it is not universally classified as illicit, given its medical use and evolving state laws.
Inhalants
Inhalants are volatile vapors and gases misused for a brief, mind-altering high. Many are ordinary household or commercial products, which makes them especially accessible.
| Chemical Compound | Common Street Names |
|---|---|
| Amyl Nitrite | ames, amies, pearls, poppers |
| Isobutyl Nitrite | bolt, bullet, climax, locker room, poppers, quicksilver, rush, snappers, thrust |
| Nitrous Oxide | buzz bomb, hippie crack, laughing gas, whippets |
Opioids
Opioids are potent pain-relieving drugs that carry a high potential for dependence and are frequently misused for their euphoric effects. They include prescription medications as well as illicitly manufactured products.
| Generic Name | Brand Name | Common Street Names |
|---|---|---|
| Buprenorphine | Suboxone, Subutex | big whites, oranges, small whites, sobos, stops, strips, sub, subs |
| Codeine | — | captain cody, cody, little c, schoolboy |
| Codeine with Promethazine | — | lean, purple drank, sizzurp, texas tea |
| Fentanyl | Actiq, Sublimaze | apache, china girl, china white, dance fever, friend, goodfella, jackpot, tango and cash, tnt |
| Hydrocodone | Lortab, Norco, Vicodin | dro, fluff, hydros, tabs, vikes, watson-387 |
| Hydromorphone | Dilaudid, Exalgo | d, dillies, footballs, juice, smack |
| Meperidine | Demerol | demmies, pain killer |
| Methadone | Dolophine, Methadose | amidone, dollies, dolls, fizzies, red rock, tootsie roll |
| Morphine | Duramorph, MS Contin | god's drug, m, miss emma, monkey, white stuff |
| Oxycodone | OxyContin | berries, blues, hillbilly heroin, oxy, oxycotton, percs, roxy, 512s |
| Oxymorphone | Opana | biscuits, blue heaven, mrs. o, o bomb, octagons, stop signs |
| Tramadol | Ultram | chill pills, trammies, ultras |
Over-the-Counter Drugs
Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are available without a prescription and are generally safe at recommended doses, but several are misused at higher amounts for intoxicating effects.
| Drug Name | Common Street Names |
|---|---|
| Dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) | dime, dime tabs, substance d |
| Dextromethorphan (DXM) | dex, dextro, poor man's ecstasy, robo, robotripping, triple c, tussin |
| Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) | often diverted as a precursor rather than used for a slang-named high |
Sleeping Pills
Sleeping pills are sedative-hypnotics prescribed for insomnia. Some carry misuse potential and share nicknames with benzodiazepines and barbiturates.
| Drug Name | Common Street Names |
|---|---|
| Ambien, Lunesta, Sonata | forget-me pill, mexican valium, r2, roche, rope, tic-tacs, zombie pills |
| Amytal (barbiturate) | barbs, red birds, reds, yellows, yellow jackets |
Stimulants
Stimulants increase brain activity, heightening alertness and attention. They range from prescription medications for ADHD to performance-enhancing and recreational drugs.
| Drug Type | Brand / Generic | Common Street Names |
|---|---|---|
| Amphetamine | Adderall, Dexedrine | addies, bennies, black beauties, crosses, hearts, speed, truck drivers, uppers |
| Antidepressants | Paxil, Prozac, Zoloft | bottled smiles, happy pill, wonder drug |
| Diet Pills | Phentermine, Adipex | crank, fastin, fen-phen, speed |
| Methylphenidate | Concerta, Ritalin | kibbles and bits, mph, pineapple, r-ball, skippy, the smart drug, vitamin r |
| Anabolic Steroids | Nandrolone, Testosterone | arnolds, gym candy, juice, pumpers, roids, stackers, weight gainers |
Why Street Names Matter — and Where They Fall Short
Slang exists in part to keep outsiders out. The same instinct that produces coded language also drives concealment, which is why an unfamiliar term can occasionally be an early signal worth paying attention to. But the value of a glossary like this is limited. Terms are recycled across unrelated drugs, invented locally, and abandoned as quickly as they appear, and one word taken out of context proves nothing.
What matters far more than the vocabulary is the pattern of behavior around it and the willingness to ask directly and get support. If you're worried about someone, treat slang as one small clue among many, and let a qualified professional help you interpret the bigger picture.
This article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice or a diagnosis. If you or a loved one may be struggling with substance use, consult a qualified professional or call the Long Island Rehab Helpline at 631-762-3763.
