Opioid medications are often called by their street names. Knowing these nicknames can help you determine if a loved one is misusing opioids and prevent addiction from progressing.
Opioids are medications that can be prescribed by doctors to treat pain. Because of their highly addictive nature, prescription opioids are commonly misused and purchased illicitly under “street” names. People might call opioids by their “street” names or nicknames to hide their drug use. Familiarizing yourself with these nicknames can help you determine whether a loved one is abusing opioids.
Opioid Brand Names & Street Names
Opioid medications are often called by their street names when they’re abused. People might use an opioid’s street name to hide their drug use from others or purchase drugs illicitly. The following is a list of the commercial names and street names of commonly abused prescription opioids.
Commercial Names: Buprenorphine, Buprenex®, Suboxone®, Subutex®
Street Names:
- Boxes
- Bupes
- Sobos
- Stop Signs
- Stops
- Subs
- Oranges
Commercial Name: Codeine
Street Names:
- Captain Cody
- Cody
- Lean
- Schoolboy
- Sizzurp
- Purple Drank With gluteth- imide: Doors & Fours
- Loads
- Pancakes and Syrup
Commercial Name: Codeine With Promethazine
Street Name:
- Lean
- Purple Drank
Commercial Name: Fentanyl, Actiq, Duragesic, Sublimaze
Street Names:
- Apache
- China Girl
- China White
- Dance Fever
- Friend
- Goodfella
- Jackpot
- Murder 8
- Tango and Cash
- TNT
Commercial Names: Hydrocodone, Vicodin®, Lortab®, Lorcet®
Street Names:
- Vike
- Watson-387
Commercial Names: Hydromorphone, Dilaudid®
Street Names:
- D, Dillies
- Footballs
- Juice, Smack
Commercial Names: Meperidine, Demerol®
Street Names:
- Demmies
- Pain Killer
Commercial Names: Methadone, Dolophine®, Methadose®
Street Names:
- Amidone
- Fizzies With MDMA: Chocolate Chip Cookies
Commercial Names: Morphine, Duramorph®, Roxanol®
Street Names:
- M
- Miss Emma
- Monkey
- White Stuff
Commercial Names: Oxycodone, Oxycodone, OxyContin®, Percodan®, Percocet®
Street Names:
- O.C.
- Oxycet
- Oxycotton
- Oxy
- Hillbilly Heroin
- Percs
Commercial Names: Oxymorphone, Opana®
Street Names:
- Biscuits
- Blue Heaven
- Blues
- Mrs. O
- O Bomb
- Octagons
- Stop Signs
Commercial Names: Tapentadol, Nucynta, Nucynta ER
Street Name:
- Tapalee
Commercial Names: Tramadol, Ultram®, Ultracet®
Street Names:
Street Opioids
Street opioids are opioids that are not medically prescribed. They are used with the goal of getting “high.” People who already use prescription opioids might turn to street opioids because they tend to be cheaper, more potent and easily accessible. However, using street opioids can be unpredictable and dangerous. They are unregulated and can be mixed with potentially harmful substances. Some street opioids and their slang names include:
Commercial Name: Heroin
Street Names:
- Black Tar
- Black Pearl
- Black Paint
- Brown Crystal
- Brown Rhine
- Brown
- Sugar
- China White
- Dope
- Dragon
- El Diablo
- H
- Hell Dust
- Horse
- Junk
- Mud
- Mexican Mud
- Mole
- Roofing Tar
- Sack
- Scat
- Skag
- Skunk
- Smack
Commercial Name: Cocaine With Heroin
Street Name:
- Speedball
Commercial Name: Black Tar Heroin
Street Name:
- Black Dragon
The Dangers of Opioid Abuse & Addiction
The misuse of opioids is dangerous and potentially life-threatening. Opioids are highly addictive, which can lead people to misuse them or seek out stronger forms of the substance, like heroin. Reportedly 80% of heroin users began their drug use by abusing prescription opioids.
Opioids are not only addictive but have serious side effects. Long-term use of heroin, for example, can consist of collapsed veins, abscesses, liver and kidney disease, and heart complications. In addition, opioids have a high overdose rate. Opioids slow down your breathing which can prevent the brain from receiving enough oxygen. This lack of oxygen, called hypoxia, can result in coma, brain damage, or death. According to the CDC, 75% of US overdose deaths in 2020 involved an opioid.
Get Help Today
Overcoming opioid addiction can be challenging, but you don’t have to do it alone. The Recovery Village Cherry Hill at Cooper offers a range of treatment options for opioid addiction, including medical detox, inpatient and outpatient care, aftercare, and dual diagnosis. Contact us today to learn more about our programs and take a step towards long-term recovery.
You Might Be Interested In
Because of the discomfort and dangers that detox often creates, detox is often safest at a detox or rehab center. This allows for medical monitoring and treatment by professionals during the detox process.
Though the thought of paying for treatment for opioid addiction may seem overwhelming, there are many options that help people pay for rehab and reduce the cost of treatment.
Inpatient rehab increases an individual’s chance of success. When someone stays in an inpatient setting, they are away from the environmental and social cues that accompanied their addiction.
Fentanyl withdrawal symptoms are uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous, so a medical detox is often recommended for a safe, successful and lasting recovery.
Buprenorphine is an FDA approved medication marketed under a variety of brand names and formulations used in the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) and, in some cases, for pain management.
You Might Be Interested In
Because of the discomfort and dangers that detox often creates, detox is often safest at a detox or rehab center. This allows for medical monitoring and treatment by professionals during the detox process.
Though the thought of paying for treatment for opioid addiction may seem overwhelming, there are many options that help people pay for rehab and reduce the cost of treatment.
Inpatient rehab increases an individual’s chance of success. When someone stays in an inpatient setting, they are away from the environmental and social cues that accompanied their addiction.
Fentanyl withdrawal symptoms are uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous, so a medical detox is often recommended for a safe, successful and lasting recovery.
Buprenorphine is an FDA approved medication marketed under a variety of brand names and formulations used in the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) and, in some cases, for pain management.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Drug Overdose Deaths.”June 2, 2022. Accessed August 16, 2022.
Donaldson James, Susan. “Prescription Tramadol: New Preteen High.”ABC news, September 11, 2008. Accessed September 5, 2022.
Drug Enforcement Agency. “Slang Terms and Code Words: A Reference […]forcement Personnel.” DEA Intelligence Report, July 2018. Accessed September 5, 2022.
Li, Zhengyi; et al. “Demystifying the Dark Web Opioid Trade: […]ngs and Forum Posts.” Journal of Medical Internet Research, February 2021. Accessed September 5, 2022.
National Institute of Health. “Opioids: Street & Commercial Names.” Accessed August 16, 2022.
Ohio Substance Abuse Monitoring Network. “Surveillance of Drug Abuse Trends in the State of Ohio.” June 2016-January 2017. Accessed September 5, 2022.
US Department of Justice. “Chasing the Black Dragon.” November 1992. Accessed September 5, 2022.
US Department of Justice. “DrugAlert Watch: Resurgence in Abuse of ‘Purple Drank’.” February 15, 2011. Accessed September 5, 2022.
Utah Department of Health. “Opioids.” Accessed September 5, 2022.
The Recovery Village aims to improve the quality of life for people struggling with a substance use or mental health disorder with fact-based content about the nature of behavioral health conditions, treatment options and their related outcomes. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider.