Heroin is a powerful, illicit opioid drug that is derived from morphine, an opioid that comes from the seed pod of the opium poppy plant.[1] The drug is a Schedule I Controlled Substance, indicating no accepted medical use and a high risk for abuse and addiction.[2]
Heroin is not only addictive, but it is also extremely dangerous. As a powerful opioid, small amounts of the drug can cause a life-threatening overdose.
The thought of a loved one using heroin can be scary. People who struggle with drug or alcohol addiction often use slang terms or street names to refer to the drugs they are using. You may have seen a loved one’s text messages or heard them talking about something that seemed suspicious, but you weren’t exactly sure what they were talking about.Knowing what street names and slang terms are used for heroin can help you identify whether or not a loved one is abusing or addicted to heroin.
Why Are Slang Terms and Nicknames Used When Buying and Selling Heroin?
There are many reasons why nicknames are given to illegal drugs. The first is because drug dealers want to cover their tracks and reduce their risk of getting caught. As a result, they may not refer to heroin as “heroin” in text messages or phone calls to disguise what they are really talking about.
Another use for slang terms and street names is for drug users to disguise their drug use from family and friends. By referring to drugs by their nicknames, they hope their drug use will go unnoticed.
List of Heroin Street Names and Slang
Many of the commonly used slang terms for heroin are sometimes inspired by the word “heroin” itself. These include:
- H
- H Caps
- Good H
- Big H
- Capital H
- Heavy
- Hero
- Horse
Heroin is an opioid and a central nervous system depressant. It is known for slowing down breathing, respiration, and heart rate. These effects can feel relaxing, but they can also lead to overdose if too much heroin is consumed. Some heroin slang terms describe the effects of the drug, including:
- Dead on arrival
- Hard candy
- Hell dust
- Nice and easy
- Joy flakes
Other heroin street names are inspired by the appearance of the drug, which can range from a brown to white powder or a dark brown sticky substance. These terms include:
- Black tar
- Black pearl
- Black sheep
- Black rhino
- Brown
- Brown rhine
- Brown sugar
- Brown crystal
- Dirt
- Dog food
- Diesel
- Golden girl
- White junk
- White nurse
- White stuff
Heroin usually comes from Mexico or China. Some of heroin’s nicknames come from the country of origin, for example:
- Mexican dirt
- Mexican horse
- China red
- China brown
- China white
- Chinese food
Some heroin street names exist for seemingly no reason at all, yet they can be used to refer to heroin. Other common nicknames for heroin include:
- Dope
- Smack
- Junk
- Skag
- Snow
- Beast
- Reindeer dust
Heroin and Other Drug Combinations Street Names and Slang
Sometimes, people mix heroin with other drugs. These drug combinations may have their own unique nicknames. The slang terms may relate to the effects produced by a certain drug combination, the appearance of the drug mixture, or they may be totally unrelated to the substances.
Common heroin drug combinations and their street names include:
- Atom bomb (A-Bomb) – heroin and marijuana
- El Diablo – heroin, cocaine, and marijuana
- Chocolate bars – heroin and Xanax
- Dynamite – heroin and cocaine
- H-bomb – heroin and ecstasy (MDMA)
- LBJ – heroin, LSD, and PCP
- Neon nod – heroin and LSD
- Screwball – heroin and meth
- Primo or Dragon Rock – heroin and crack
No matter what you call it, mixing heroin with other drugs is extremely dangerous. It can increase the effects of both substances used and increase the risk of overdose. Even mixing heroin with stimulants like meth and cocaine is dangerous because each drug can mask the effects of overdose on the other.
Find Help for Heroin Abuse and Addiction at Moving Mountains Recovery Today
Many of the heroin street names and slang terms sound fun, colorful, and even exciting, but there is nothing fun about heroin addiction. Heroin addiction can impact your mind, body, and spirit. It can destroy your personal relationships, reduce your productivity at work, harm your health in irreversible ways, and lead to serious depression, anxiety, and mental illness.
The sooner you find help for heroin addiction, the easier it will be to get sober and stay sober. If you or a loved one are struggling with addiction and ready to begin your recovery journey, our team at Moving Mountains Recovery is here to help.
Don’t wait any longer to get the help you deserve. Contact us today to speak with one of our dedicated admissions coordinators.
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