Commonly Abused Drugs
Review this page which describes the acute effects and the health risks of both legal and illegal drugs.
Commonly Abused Drugs
Prescription Opioids
Pain relievers with an origin similar to that of heroin. Opioids can cause euphoria and are often used nonmedically, leading to overdose deaths.
| Street Names | Commercial Names | Common Forms | Common Ways Taken | DEA Schedule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Captain Cody, Cody, Lean, Schoolboy, Sizzurp, Purple Drank With glutethimide: Doors & Fours, Loads, Pancakes and Syrup |
Codeine (various brand names) | Tablet, capsule, liquid | Injected, swallowed (often mixed with soda and flavorings) | II, III, V |
| Apache, China Girl, China White, Dance Fever, Friend, Goodfella, Jackpot, Murder 8, Tango and Cash, TNT | Fentanyl (Actiq®, Duragesic®, Sublimaze®) | Lozenge, sublingual tablet, film, buccal tablet | Injected, smoked, snorted | II |
| Vike, Watson-387 | Hydrocodone or dihydrocodeinone (Vicodin®, Lortab®, Lorcet®, and others) | Capsule, liquid, tablet | Swallowed, snorted, injected | II |
| D, Dillies, Footballs, Juice, Smack | Hydromorphone (Dilaudid®) | Liquid, suppository | Injected, rectal | II |
| Demmies, Pain Killer | Meperidine (Demerol®) | Tablet, liquid | Swallowed, snorted, injected | II |
|
Amidone, Fizzies With MDMA: Chocolate Chip Cookies |
Methadone (Dolophine®, Methadose®) | Tablet, dispersible tablet, liquid | Swallowed, injected | II |
| M, Miss Emma, Monkey, White Stuff | Morphine (Duramorph®, Roxanol®) | Tablet, liquid, capsule, suppository | Injected, swallowed, smoked | II, III |
| O.C., Oxycet, Oxycotton, Oxy, Hillbilly Heroin, Percs | Oxycodone (OxyContin®, Percodan®, Percocet®, and others) | Capsule, liquid, tablet | Swallowed, snorted, injected | II |
| Biscuits, Blue Heaven, Blues, Mrs. O, O Bomb, Octagons, Stop Signs | Oxymorphone (Opana®) | Tablet | Swallowed, snorted, injected | II |
| Possible Health Effects | |
|---|---|
| Short-term | Pain relief, drowsiness, nausea, constipation, euphoria, confusion, slowed breathing, death. |
| Long-term | Unknown. |
| Other Health-related Issues |
Pregnancy: Miscarriage; low birth weight; neonatal abstinence syndrome. Older Adults: Higher risk of accidental misuse or abuse because many older adults have multiple prescriptions, increasing the risk of drug-drug interactions, and breakdown of drugs slows with age; also, many older adults are treated with prescription medications for pain. Risk of HIV, hepatitis, and other infectious diseases from shared needles. |
| In Combination with Alcohol | Dangerous slowing of heart rate and breathing leading to coma or death. |
| Withdrawal Symptoms | Restlessness, muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, cold flashes with goose bumps ("cold turkey"), leg movements. |
| Treatment options | |
| Medications |
|
| Behavioral Therapies | Behavioral therapies that have helped treat addiction to heroin may be useful in treating prescription opioid addiction. |