Drug Facts

Rehabilitation Care Group knows the vast amount of drugs out there can be overwhelming.  We have compiled a list of the most common drugs we regularly see used by our patients.   They are separated out by the following categories: 

• Opiates and Morphine Derivatives

• Depressants

• Dissociative Anesthetics

• Stimulants

• Other Compounds

• Cannabinoids

For a full description of each category and the common drugs that fall within, please click on the links above. 

Opiates and Morphine Derivatives

Opiates

Codeine

Commercial Names: Empirin with Codeine, Fiorinal with Codeine, Robitussin A-C, and Tylenol with Codeine

Street Names:   Captain Cody, Cody, Schoolboy, doors and fours, loads, pancakes and syrup

Administered:  Injected and swallowed

Fentanyl

Commercial Names: Actiq, duragesic, sublimaze

Street Names:  Apache, China Girl, China white, dance fever, friend, goodfella, jackpot, murder 8, TNT, Tango and Cash

Administered:   Smoked, snorted, injected, and absorbed through skin tissues

Morphine

Commercial Names: Roxanol and Duramorph

Street Names:   M, Miss, Emma, Monkey, and white stuff

Administered:   Injected, swallowed, and smoked

Opium

Commercial Names: Laudanum and Paregoric

Street Names:  Big O, black stuff, block, gum, and hop

Administered:   Swallowed and smoked

Heroin

Street Names: Smack, H, ska, junk, brown sugar, dope, horse, skag, and skunk

Administered :  Intravenously, smoked, and snorted 

Intoxication Effects & Potential Health Consequences: Pain relief, euphoria, drowsiness/ respiratory depression and arrest, nausea, confusion, constipation, sedation, unconsciousness, coma, tolerance, and addiction. 

Depressants

Barbiturates

Commerical Names: Amytal, Nembutal, Seconal, and Phenobarbital>

Street Names:   Barbs, reds, red birds, phennies, tooies, yellows, and yellow jackets

Administered:  Injected and swallowed

Benzodiazepines

Commercial Names: Ativan, Halcion, Librium, Valium, and Xanax

Street Names:   Candy, downers, sleeping pills, and tranks

Administered:   Swallowed

Flunitrazepam

Commercial Name: Rohypnol

Street Names:   Forget-me pill, Mexican valium, R2, Roche, roofies, roofinol, rope, and rophies

Administered:  Swallowed and snorted

Intoxication Effects & Potential Health Consequences: Reduced pain and anxiety, feeling of well-being, lowered inhibitions, slowed pulse and breathing, lowered blood pressure, poor concentration/ confusion, fatigue, impaired coordination, memory, judgment, respiratory depression and arrest, addiction. For Barbiturates, sedation, drowsiness/ depression, unusual excitement, fever, irritability, poor judgment, slurred speech, and dizziness.   Also, for Flunitrazepam, visual and gastrointestinal disturbances, urinary retention, memory loss, numbness, nausea, and vomiting.
 

Alcohol

Found in beer, wine, and liquor, it is a central nervous system depressant that is absorbed through the stomach, and small intestine into the bloodstream.

Intoxication Effects & Potential Health Consequences: Impair brain function and motor skills, euphoria, slowed thinking and reaction time, confusion, impaired balance and coordination, can affect every organ in the drinker’s body, and can damage the developing fetus.  Heavy use can increase risk of certain cancers, stroke, and liver disease, tolerance, addiction.

Dissociative Anesthetics 

Ketamine

Commercial Names: Ketalar SV

Street Names:   Cat, valium K, special K, and vitamin K

Administered:   Injected, snorted, and smoked

PCP

Commercial Names: Ketalar SV

Street Names:   Angel dust, boat, hog, love boat, and peace pill

Administered:   Injected, swallowed, and smoked

LSD

Commercial Names: Lysergic Acid and diethylamide

Street Names:  Acid, blotter, boomers, cubes, microdot, and yellow sunshines

Administered:   Swallowed and absorbed through mouth tissues

Mescaline

Street Names: Buttons, cactus, mesc, and peyote

Administered:  Swallowed and smoked

Psilocybin

Street Names: Magic mushroom, purple passion, and shrooms

Administered:  Swallowed

Intoxication Effects & Potential Health Consequences: Increased heart rate and blood pressure, impaired motor function, memory loss, numbness, nausea and vomiting.  Aggression and violence.  At high doses: delirium, depression, respiratory depression, and arrest, addiction.   Also for LSD and mescaline, increased body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, loss of appetite, sleeplessness, numbness, weakness, and tremors.  Also, for psilocybin, nervousness and paranoia.

Stimulants

Amphetamines

Commercial Names: Biphetamine and Dexedrine

Street Names:   Bennies, black beauties, crosses, hearts, LA, turnaround, speed, truck drivers, and uppers

Administered:  Swallowed, smoked, and snorted

Intoxication Effects & Potential Health Consequences: 
Increased heart rate, blood pressure, metabolism, feelings of exhilaration, energy, increased mental alertness/ Rapid irregular heartbeat, reduced appetite, weight loss, heart failure, addiction.

Cocaine

Commercial Name: Cocaine hydrochloride

Street Names:   Blow, bump, C, candy, Charlie, coke, crack, flake, rock, snow, and toot

Administered:   Smoked and snorted

Intoxication Effects & Potential Health Consequences:   Increased temperature, chest pain, respiratory failure, nausea, abdominal pain, strokes, seizures, headaches, malnutrition, and addiction.

Methamphetamine

Commercial Name: Desoxyn

Street Names:   Chalk, crank, crystal, fire, glass, go fast, ice, meth, and speed

Administered:   Swallowed, smoked, and snorted

Intoxication Effects & Potential Health Consequences:   Aggression, violence, psychotic behavior/memory loss, cardiac and neurological damage, impaired memory and learning, tolerance, and addiction

Methylphenidate

Commercial Names: Ritalin

Street Names:   JIF, MPH, R-Ball, Skippy, the smart drug, and vitamin R

Administered:   Injected, swallowed, and snorted

MDMA (methylenedioxy-methamphetamine)

Street Names: Ecstasy, Adam, clarity, Eve, lover’s speed, peace, STP, X, and XTC

Administered:   Swallowed

Intoxication Effects & Potential Health Consequences:   Mental stimulation, emotional warmth, enhanced sensory perception, increased physical energy, nausea, chills, sweating, teeth clenching, muscle cramping, and blurred vision

Other Compounds

Anabolic Steroids

Commercial Names: Anadrol, Oxandrin, Durabolin, Depo-Testosterone, Equipoise

Street Names:   Roids and juice

Administered: Injected, swallowed, and applied to skin

Intoxication Effects & Potential Health Consequences: Hypertension, blood clotting and cholesterol changes, liver cysts and cancer, kidney cancer, hostility and aggression, acne, adolescents, and premature stoppage of growth.  In males:  prostate cancer, reduced sperm production, shrunken testicles, and breast enlargement.   In females:  menstrual irregularities and development of masculine features.

Inhalants

Commercial Names: Solvents (paint thinners, gasoline, glues), Gases (butane, propaine, aerosol propellants, nitrous oxide), and Nitrates (isamyl, isobutyl, cyclohexyl)

Street Names: Laughing gas, poppers, snappers, and whippets

Administered: Inhaled through nose or mouth

Intoxication Effects & Potential Health Consequences:  Stimulation, loss of inhibition, headache, nausea or vomiting, slurred speech, loss of motor coordination, wheezing/unconsciousness, cramps, weight loss, muscle weakness, depression, memory impairment, damage to cardiovascular and nervous systems, and sudden death

Cannabinoids

Hashish

Street Names: Boom, chronic, gangster, hash, hash oil, and hemp

Administered: Swallowed and smoked

Marijuana

Street Names: Blunt, dope, ganja, grass, herb, joints, mary jane, pot, reefer, sinsemilla, skunk, and weed

Administered: Swallowed and smoked

Intoxication Effects & Potential Health Consequences: Euphoria, slowed thinking and reaction time, confusion, impaired balance and coordination, cough, frequent respiratory infections, impaired memory and learning, increased heart rate, anxiety, panic attacks, tolerance, and addiction

Resource - National Institute on Drug Abuse www.drugabuse.gov