What Are The Street Names For Heroin?
In general, the most common heroin street names are dope, junk, and smack. Depending on the quality, look, and origin of production, there are other street names and nicknames for heroin, such as black tar, Mexican horse, and H.
Heroin addiction and abuse can be identified by recognizing some of the common street names, such as “smack” or “dope.”
Heroin street names can vary based on where the drug was created, the quality, and what heroin looks like.
Certain regions of the nation have different nicknames for the drug.
Common Heroin Street Names
There are many street names for heroin that are used on a nationwide and global scale.
The most well-known street names for heroin are:
- smack
- dope
- junk
- horse
These street names may also be determined based on heroin’s appearance, the country where it was cultivated, and the potency of the drug.
Other street names for heroin include:
- H
- skag
- brown
- beast
- hero
- snow
- china white
- chiva
- thunder
- big h
- hell dust
- negra
- skunk
- brown sugar
- white horse
- black tar
- mexican horse
- heron
- black eagle
- white stuff
- white nurse
- white lady
- white junk
- white girl
- good horse
- antifreeze
- bad seed
- ballot
- basura
- birdie powder
- black
- black pearl
- black sheep
- blanco
- blue
- charlie horse
- chocolate
- dark girl
Street Names For Heroin Combinations
Heroin is sometimes used in combination with other substances to create different effects and desired sensations or to offset unwanted symptoms of heroin use.
Street names for heroin when combined with other substances:
- Speedball or bombita (cocaine and heroin)
- Pink or chiva loca (heroin and other opioids, such as fentanyl)
- Cheese (black tar heroin and crushed Tylenol or other antihistamines)
- Atom bomb or a-bomb (heroin and marijuana)
- Anestesia de caballo (heroin mixed with the horse anesthetic xylazine)
- Goofball (heroin with methamphetamine or other stimulants)
- Primo or dragon rock (heroin and crack cocaine)
- H-bomb (heroin and ecstasy)
- Neon nod (heroin and LSD)
- LBJ (heroin, PCP, and LSD)
When additives are mixed in, heroin can look different. For example, some heroin looks like a white powder, and other heroin looks like black tar, hence the name.
Thus, there are different street names and nicknames for heroin that have been cut with additives or other drugs.
Heroin Paraphernalia, Use, And Preparation Slang Words
People who use heroin use specific paraphernalia to inject, smoke, or snort the drug. With many different ways to use and prepare heroin, there are slang words for each method.
Heroin Paraphernalia Slang Words
Depending on if heroin is snorted, smoked, or injected, there are different paraphernalia needed.
Slangs words for heroin paraphernalia:
- Works, kit, tools (needle, spoon if injected)
- Whistle (pipe, if smoked)
- Soldiers (vials where heroin is placed in)
- Globo (balloon of heroin)
- Tube or dollar (snorting)
Heroin Use Slang Names
Heroin can be ingested in several ways. For each of these different methods, there are multiple slang terms.
Some of the slang names for using heroin are:
- getting well
- shooting up
- mainlining (injecting in vein)
- speedballing (shooting cocaine and heroin together)
- skin popping (injecting right under the skin instead of into a vein)
- chasing the dragon (inhaling or smoking)
- sniffing (snorting)
- freebasing (a method of using drugs that increases its potency)
Heroin Preparation Slang
Because of the many different ways to prepare heroin, there are slang terms for different methods.
These can include:
- cooking (preparing heroin for injection)
- fixing
- stepped on (when heroin is cut with synthetic or prescription opioids, laxatives, or additives to cover up weak quality)
Treating Heroin Addiction In Massachusetts
Thankfully, addiction treatment for heroin use is possible.
Substance abuse does not have to be fought alone.
If you or a loved one need help with heroin addiction, addiction treatment centers in Massachusetts are available to help.
At Spring Hill Recovery Center, we help people to identify triggers, develop coping methods, and find support with group and individual counseling.
If you or a loved one are ready to overcome heroin addiction, reach out to us today to learn more about your treatment options.
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) — Heroin https://www.camh.ca/en/health-info/mental-illness-and-addiction-index/heroin
- National Institutes of Health — Street & Commercial Names https://www.nihlibrary.nih.gov/resources/subject-guides/opioids/street-commercial-names
- U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration — Slang Terms and Code Words: A Reference for Law Enforcement Personnel https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2018-07/DIR-022-18.pdf
- U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration — Heroin https://www.dea.gov/factsheets/heroin