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Slang Names: 11 Addictive Substances Described and Their Street Names

Knowing Drug Slang Names Is Important For Today’s Parents

If you have a teenager and you want to protect them from the dangers of drug addiction, you need to know the slang names teens use when talking about drugs. It is not uncommon for teenagers to talk about using, dealing, or buying drugs on their phones or to communicate this information by text. They also use these street names as code words on social media and instant messaging on the Internet. Recent statistics suggest that more teenagers are using drugs than ever. As a parent, it is important to be as educated as possible when it comes to drug use. After all, you want to defend your children and keep them out of harm’s way. If you are in the know, your teens and their friends won’t be able to have their cryptic conversations without cluing you into the fact that they are involved in drug activity. In this article, we will give you some basic information about eleven drugs and give you the slang names for each.

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# 1 Adderall Is Prescribed For ADHD But Used Recreationally

Adderall is a legal prescription stimulant prescribed for Attention Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), narcolepsy (a sleep disorder that causes someone to fall asleep uncontrollably) and as an appetite suppressant. Basically, this is legal speed. Many teenagers use this stuff to catch a buzz because when it is used recreationally it can bring about a pleasurable sense of euphoria. Teens will often take Adderall from a friend who has been prescribed the drug to get high. When abused, Adderall is a dangerous substance. According to Business Insider, stimulant-related hospital visits have tripled in recent years. Here are the street names teens use when talking about this prescription stimulant:

  • Addys
  • Uppers
  • Speed
  • Pep pills
  • Study buddies
  • Dexies
  • Beans
  • Black beauties
  • Zings
  • Smart Pills

If your teenager exhibits the following behavior, they may be abusing Adderall:

  • Large pupils
  • Rapid speech
  • The decreased need for sleep or food
  • Hyperactivity
  • Fidgeting and the constant need for movement
  • Agitation

# 2 Cocaine Is A Popular Substances For Teens

Cocaine is a highly addictive substance that teenagers use to catch a super buzz. Cocaine is a white powder that can be snorted, smoked, or diluted with water and injected. Cocaine is a stimulant drug that causes the heart rate to increase and gives the user a boost in alertness and awareness. Cocaine is a particularly expensive habit because the high doesn’t last very long. When the user comes down, they will be overwhelmed with an intense craving to do more cocaine. Teens will often steal to support a cocaine habit or trade their belongings for more of the drug. Here are the slang names associated with powdered cocaine:

  • White
  • Powder
  • Blow
  • Coke
  • Going Skiing
  • Girl
  • Yay-o
  • Toot
  • Snort
  • Sniff
  • Dust
  • Flake

Here are some warning signs to look out for to alert you that your teen may be using cocaine:

  • Very big pupils
  • Constant sniffing
  • Rapid speech
  • The decreased need for sleep
  • A decrease in appetite and little need for food
  • Track marks on the arms from shooting cocaine
  • A lot of spoons missing from the kitchen
  • Sleeping for extended periods of time after crashing from a cocaine binge

# 3 Crack – The Smokable Form of Cocaine

It is important to make the distinction that the smokable form of cocaine is called crack. Crack is smoked using a glass pipe with the copper from a Brillo scouring pad. It is also put into marijuana joints or rolled up with nicotine with using a cigarette paper. The high from crack is much more intense than powdered cocaine and it is very short-lived. The truth about crack is that someone can use it just one time and become addicted. If your teenager is experimenting with crack, you should be highly concerned. Those who have been addicted to crack say it consumes them like a demon and renders them powerless over the drug. Crack usually brings on a binge where the user will continually abuse the drug for days at a time without sleeping or eating. Someone can easily spend $1,000 on a crack binge in just three or four days. To increase your awareness about crack, here are some of the slang names associated with the drug:

  • Work
  • Dope
  • Hard
  • Rock
  • Dice
  • Tornado
  • Grit
  • Base
  • Rock candy

If you see these warning signs, your teen may be using crack:

  • Very big pupils
  • Extreme paranoia and fear of law enforcement
  • Bizarre thoughts and speech
  • Strange mouth movements
  • Rapid speech
  • The decreased need for sleep
  • A decrease in appetite and little need for food
  • Sleeping for extended periods of time after crashing from a crack binge
  • Pieces of Brillo lying around
  • Long pieces of straight metal from a coat hanger lying around (this is used to manage the crack pipe)
  • Items of value missing

# 4 Heroin Is A Dangerous Drug

While the word “heroin” strikes fear in the heart of any protective parent, teenagers associate the drug with pleasure and euphoric intoxication. Because heroin promotes a feeling of calm and relaxation, many unsuspecting teenagers are simply unaware of how dangerous and deadly the drug really is. Heroin is derived from the opium poppy plant, which is grown in tropical climates around the world. It sold as a brown powder or as a black tar. Heroin is highly addictive. It can be snorted, smoked, or diluted with water and injected with a needle. These are the most common slang names for heroin:

  • H
  • Smack
  • China White
  • Horse
  • Brown
  • Junk
  • Black tar
  • Big H
  • Brown Sugar
  • Tar
  • Mud
  • Dragon
  • Boy
  • Mexican brown

Here are the telltale signs of heroin use:

  • Glassy, glazed eyes
  • Droopy eyelids
  • Nodding of the head in a slow, downward motion
  • Slurred speech
  • Disorientation
  • Very relaxed body posture

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# 5 Inhalants Are A Strange Way For Teens To Get High

For an adult, it is unthinkable to inhale dangerous chemicals like spray paint, household cleaners, or paint thinner. Nevertheless, many teens think this is a super fun, super cheap way to get high. Teens will spray or pour these chemicals into a bag or on a cloth and inhale the fumes. This is called “huffing.” This short-lived buzz causes hallucinations and a feeling of unexplained euphoria. Teens will use these dangerous inhalants alone in privacy or at parties with friends. If you suspect your teen might be experimenting with drugs, it might be a good idea to lock up household cleaners and chemicals. These are the slangs used by teens to talk about inhalants:

  • Huff
  • Moon gas
  • Whiff
  • Poppers
  • Whippets
  • Nitrous
  • Laughing gas
  • Air blast
  • Glad
  • Bold
  • Rush
  • Whiteout

Inhalant use is very easy for teens to hide because they do it away from the watchful eyes of parents and the high doesn’t last very long. However; here are some warning signs to look out for when it comes to inhalant use:

  • Bags and rags that smell like chemicals lying around
  • Strange, loopy behavior
  • The inability to stand
  • Large pupils
  • The inability to speak

# 6 Ketamine Takes Teens Into A K-Hole

Ketamine is typically used as an animal tranquilizer, although it is often used as an anesthetic for surgical procedures. Teens love to use this drug recreationally. Ketamine is not as readily available as other drugs, but it can be purchased on the street. When teens use this drug, they report having an out-of-body experience and going into what is called a “K-Hole,” which renders the user immobile. This is a popular date rape drug. Here are the popular street names associated with Ketamine:

  • K
  • Special K
  • Ket
  • Vitamin K
  • Kit Kat
  • Cat valium
  • Green K
  • Purple

If your teen demonstrates any of these signs, they may be using Ketamine:

  • Immobility
  • Laying on their back, staring at the ceiling
  • Slurred speech
  • Mellow demeanor
  • Dilated pupils
  • Involuntary muscle movements

# 7 LSD Use Is Increasing Among High School Students

LSD is a hallucinogenic drug that was made popular during the hippie generation of flower children. While LSD wasn’t quite as popular during the 2000 decade, it is making a comeback. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the use of LSD among high school students is on the rise. LSD is a clear, odorless liquid that is typically placed on special paper that looks like a small postage stamp with a special design on it. (Hearts, shamrocks, flowers, and psychedelic designs are the most popular). An LSD “trip” usually lasts about eight two twelve hours. Here are the street names for LSD:

  • Acid
  • Cid
  • Trip
  • Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
  • Lucy
  • L
  • Dose or doses
  • Blotter
  • California sunshine
  • Window pane
  • Dots
  • Looney toons
  • Microdot
  • Superman
  • Zen

Usually, teenagers will use LSD away from their parents because they don’t want to hallucinate in their presence and be “found out.” However; if you think your teen may be under the influence of LSD, you are probably right. There is an unmistakable look about someone who is tripping. Here are some signs to look for:

  • Very large pupils so much so that the entire eye may appear black
  • Strange reactions to the outside world
  • Disorientation
  • Staring at an object for a prolonged period of time
  • A fascination with hand movements

# 8 Marijuana – The Number One Illegal Drug Of Choice For Teens

When it comes to illegal drugs, teens use marijuana more than any other drug. This is largely because marijuana is easy to get, it is relatively inexpensive, and most teenagers consider it safe. Marijuana is a green, leafy substance that is smoked in a pipe, rolled in a joint, or smoked using cigar paper. Edibles are also common in states where marijuana is legal for recreational use. Edibles are things you can eat that have marijuana in them like lollipops, brownies, chocolate, or candy. Here are the most common street names used by teens to describe marijuana:

  • Green
  • Weed
  • Bud
  • Mary Jane
  • Ganja
  • Herb
  • Pot
  • Hash
  • Grass
  • Trees
  • Reefer
  • Chronic
  • Kush

Keep a look out for these warning signs:

  • Glassy eyes and low eyelids
  • Increased appetite and food binges called “the munchies”
  • Change in speech (Think “surfer talk” – hey, man)
  • Disorientation
  • Loss of coordination
  • Drowsiness

# 9 Methamphetamine – A Monster You Don’t Want To Meet

Methamphetamine is a dangerous drug that has become very popular among teenagers. This drug looks like small bits of ice or little crystals. When crushed up, it looks like a white or yellowish crystalline powder. This drug can be snorted, smoked, or diluted with water and injected. This is a potent stimulant drug that has a very different high than cocaine. Just a small amount of inexpensive methamphetamine can keep a user up for days at a time with no need for sleep or food. It is a monster of an addiction that completely consumes the individual and wrecks families. Here are the slang words for methamphetamine:

  • Meth
  • Ice
  • Crystal
  • Speed
  • Crank
  • Tweak
  • Christina
  • Tina
  • Go fast
  • Cookies
  • Cotton candy
  • Rocket fuel
  • No doze

Take notice if your teen exhibits any of these signs. They may be using meth:

  • Very large pupil and a strange look in the eyes
  • Large open sores on the face
  • Bizarre behavior and speech
  • Strange body and mouth movements
  • Rotting teeth

# 10 Oxycodone Is a Favorite Among Teens – Lock Up Your Pills  

In recent years, the powerful narcotic painkiller Oxycodone has become a favorite among teens looking to catch a buzz. Young people don’t have to go traipsing through the ghetto to find seedy-looking dope dealers to score the stuff, by the way. Most teenagers find their Oxycodone in their parents’ medicine cabinet. Nevertheless, Oxycodone is available for sale on the black market for as much as $20 per pill. If you have been prescribed Oxycodone, which produces a euphoric effect when not taken for pain, be sure and keep your prescription medication under lock and key. You don’t want this to wind up in the hands of teens. Want to know the street names for Oxycodone? Here they are:

  • Oxy
  • Roxy
  • OC
  • O
  • Ox
  • Oxycotton
  • Eighties
  • Blue
  • Hillbilly heroin

The warning signs for Oxycodone are the same as heroin:

  • Glassy, glazed eyes
  • Droopy eyelids
  • Nodding of the head in a slow, downward motion
  • Slurred speech
  • Disorientation
  • Very relaxed body posture

“We accept many health insurance plans. You can get your life back in order with our outpatient program today!”

# 11 Xanax – A Popular Tranquilizer Used By Teens

Xanax is classified as a benzodiazepine. These are tranquilizers that have a sedating effect. They are typically prescribed for people who have an anxiety or panic disorder because they are fast-acting and cause a person to calm down rather quickly. Teens love to use Xanax because they make them feel calm and loopy. These are the street names teens use when discussing Xanax:

  • Zanny or Zannies
  • Handlebars
  • Bars
  • Zanbars
  • Footballs
  • Blue footballs
  • Blues
  • Benzos

If your teen demonstrates any of these signs, they may be using Xanax:

  • Slurred speech
  • Unexplained memory loss
  • Relaxed demeanor
  • Glassy eyes

Help Is Available For Teens

If your teenager is using any of the drugs we described, you should be concerned. These drugs are all very dangerous. While it may be easy to dismiss a teen’s drug use as experimentation, this is a mistake. Be sure and talk to your teenager and find out the extent of their drug use. If they have been using any of these drugs regularly, you might consider getting them treatment. Help is available.

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