If You Have Teenagers, You Need To Know Drug Slang Names

Teenagers are notorious for using slang names when talking about drugs and drug activity. They think this will allow them to use or deal drugs without their parents knowing. If you have teens, it is important that you speak their language. You need to be able to decipher “secret code” to determine if your children are using or selling drugs.

You want to protect your children from the dangers of addiction and the potential consequences of selling illegal drugs. The best way to do this is to arm yourself with as much information as possible. If you know the slang or street names teens use to conduct drug activity, you will be able to talk to them about what they are doing. They won’t get away with keeping you in the dark.

In this article, we will give you some basic information about eleven drugs and give you the slang names for each.

# 1 Adderall Is An Upper That Is Popular Among Teens

Basically, Adderall is legal speed. Doctors prescribe this stimulant medication for the treatment of Attention Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), narcolepsy (a sleep disorder that causes someone to fall asleep uncontrollably) and as an appetite suppressant for people who are severely overweight.

Adderall is one of the top ten most commonly abused medications. Many teens are prescribed Adderall and they will share it with their friends or sell it to make extra money. It creates a pleasurable sense of euphoria and heightened state of awareness for those who do not use it for legitimate purposes.

Adderall is a dangerous and addictive substance. Business Insider reports that stimulant-related hospital visits have tripled in recent years. If your teen is taking Adderall, you should be concerned.   

Here are the street names teens use when talking about Adderall:

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

# 2 Cocaine Is Dangerous And Highly Addictive  

Cocaine is a white powder that can be snorted, smoked, or diluted with water and injected. It is a very addictive drug that causes the user to crave more and more cocaine. Like Adderall, it is a stimulant, but it is illegal. Getting caught with even a small amount of cocaine is a felony with stiff consequences.  

Cocaine is an expensive habit. Teens will often steal or trade their belongings to obtain the drug. Although cocaine is not as popular among teens as many other drugs, the National Institute on Drug Abuse for Teens reports that at least two percent of all high school seniors have used cocaine.

These are the most common slang names associated with cocaine:   

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

# 3 Crack – Cocaine in A Smokeable Form  

When smoked, cocaine is called “crack.” Crack looks like little square pieces of white wax. It is smoked using a glass pipe with the copper from a Brillo scouring pad. The high from crack is much more powerful than powdered cocaine. It is very short-lived and wears off within minutes. This causes the user to want more and more crack to get the high it produces.

If you find out that your teenager is experimenting with crack, you should be very concerned. The truth about crack is that someone can use it just one time and become addicted. People who use crack typically go on binges that last for several days during which time they have no need for sleep or food. A crack binge can easily cost a thousand dollars.

If you hear your teen using any of these street names, they are talking about crack:

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

# 4 Heroin Is A Powerful Opiate

Heroin is an opiate derived from the opium poppy plant, which is grown in tropical climates around the world. It is typically sold as a white or brown powder or as a substance that resembles black tar. It can be snorted, smoked, or diluted with water and injected with a needle.

Heroin produces a pleasurable and relaxing feeling of sedation. Although heroin has gotten a reputation for being injected with a needle, mot teenagers do not use it this way. They will either smoke it or snort it. Because they like the way it makes them feel, many teenagers will go beyond experimenting with the drug and begin using it more and more frequently. Before long, they are addicted.

You should know these slang names for heroin:

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

# 5 Inhalants – A Shocking High For Teenagers

Although it may be hard to believe, many teenagers use chemicals like spray paint, household cleaners, or paint thinner to catch a buzz. They will spray or pour these chemicals into a bag or on a cloth and inhale the fumes. This is called “huffing.” Teenagers can also buy nitrous oxide at head shops and buy a special apparatus used to inhale the fumes.

This is a short-lived buzz that can cause wild hallucinations and lightheadedness. Teens will use these dangerous inhalants at parties with friends. For this reason, it is a good idea to lock up household cleaners and chemicals to keep them away from teenagers.

These are the most common slang names used to talk about inhalants:

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

# 6 Ketamine – It’s Not Just Used To Tranquilize Animals  

Ketamine has become a popular drug among teenagers. It is a powerful tranquilizer used on animals. It is also used as an anesthetic for human surgical procedures. The Ketamine sold on the street usually makes its way to the U.S. from illegal labs from other countries. It is surprising that teenagers are able to get their hands on the stuff, but somehow they manage to obtain it. It is typically sold as a white crystalline powder.

Teenagers love this drug. It reportedly creates a feeling of having an an out-of-body experience called a “K-Hole.” Because it renders a user immobile, it is a popular date rape drug.

Here are the popular street names associated with Ketamine:

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

# 7 LSD Is Making A Comeback

Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is a psychedelic drug that causes a user to hallucinate. An LSD “trip” usually lasts about eight two twelve hours during which time the user will be transported to an alternate reality. Teens usually do this drug away from their parents because it causes obviously bizarre behavior.

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. It placed on special paper with a cutesy design on it like hearts or flowers. Teens will put the paper on their tongues to let the LSD dissolve and then they will eat the paper.

These are the slang names teens use to talk about LSD:

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

# 8 Marijuana – The Favorite Illegal Drug Among Teens  

Marijuana is easy to get, it is relatively inexpensive, and teens consider it safe. For these reasons, this is the most commonly used drug among teenagers.

Most parents know what marijuana looks like. However, it is important to point out that in states where marijuana is legal for recreational or medicinal purposes, edibles are also common. Edibles are things you can eat like lollipops, brownies, chocolate, or candy – all laced with marijuana. Teens don’t just smoke marijuana anymore – they also eat it.

Although many parents think of marijuana as a relatively harmless substance, it is not without its consequences. Despite what you may have heard, marijuana is addictive and it does have harmful side effects.

When teens talk about marijuana, they typically use these street names:

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

# 9 Methamphetamine – Be Afraid…Be Very Afraid  

Methamphetamine is a highly toxic substance than can induce psychosis and bring about very bizarre behavior. This is not a drug you want your teenager to be experimenting with. It is one of the hardest addictions to kick. The drug looks like small bits of ice or little crystals. It is usually crushed up to resemble a white or yellowish crystalline powder. This drug can be snorted, smoked, or diluted with water and injected.

Methamphetamine is relatively inexpensive and it goes a long way. Just a little bit of the drug can keep a user up for days with no need for food or sleep.

Here are the slang names for methamphetamine:

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

# 10 Oxycodone Is Serious Business – Lock Up Your Pills  

You have probably heard about the opioid epidemic happening in the United States. Tens of thousands of unsuspecting Americans are dying every year from an opioid overdose. Oxycodone is at center stage.

Oxycodone is a powerful narcotic painkiller that comes in a pill form. Like heroin, it is an opiate. The only real difference between Oxycodone and heroin is that heroin is illegal. The two drugs produce similar effects. Although teens can buy Oxycodone on the street for as much as $50 per pill, many teens get them straight from their parents’ medicine cabinet. If you have been prescribed Oxycodone, be sure and lock up your pills.  

When they talk about Oxycodone, teens use these slang names:

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

# 11 Xanax – A Popular Tranquilizer Used By Teens

Xanax belongs to the classification of drugs known as benzodiazepines. These sedating tranquilizers are typically prescribed for people who have an anxiety or panic disorder. They are fast-acting and cause a person to become calm rather quickly. Teens love to use Xanax. This is perhaps one of the most popular drugs among teenagers because they are easy to get and they are cheap.

These are the most popular street names teens use when talking about Xanax:

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

What To Do If You Suspect Your Teen Is Using Drugs

In today’s world, teenagers have immediate access to all the drugs we have listed. This may be hard to believe, but it’s a fact. All of these drugs are dangerous and addictive. If you suspect your teenager is using any of the drugs we have described, you should be concerned. It may be easy to dismiss a teen’s drug use as experimentation, but this is a mistake. Experimentation leads to addiction.

Don’t wait to talk to your teenager about their drug use. Overdose is a very real threat to your child’s safety. Take the time to talk to your teenager about drug use and explain how dangerous it is. Find out if your teen is in trouble. If they have been using any of these drugs regularly, you may need to get them into treatment for addiction.