Understanding Illicit Drugs
Methamphetamine
Street terms for methamphetamine include: Meth, poor man's cocaine, crystal meth, ice, glass, speed
Typically, meth is a white powder that easily dissolves in water. Another form of meth, called crystal meth or ice, appears as clear chunky crystals. Meth can also be in the form of small, brightly colored tablets. The pills are often called by their Thai name, yaba.
During 2000, 4% of the U.S. population reported trying methamphetamine at least once in their lifetime. Abuse is concentrated in the western, southwestern, and midwestern United States.
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Marijuana
Street terms for marijuana include: grass, pot, weed, bud, Mary Jane, dope, indo, hydro
Marijuana usually is a green, brown, or gray mixture of dried, shredded leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of the hemp plant. ("Cannabis" refers to marijuana and other drugs made from the same plant.) Other forms, less common in the United States, are hashish and hashish oil.
Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug, with at least one-third of Americans have used marijuana sometime in their lives.
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MDMA (Ecstasy)
Street terms for MDMA/Ecstasy include: XTC, go, X, Adam, hug drug
Ecstasy is distributed in tablet form. Individual tablets are often imprinted with graphic designs or commercial logos, and typically contain 100 mg of MDMA.
In 2000, more than 6.4 million people age 12 and older reported that they have used Ecstasy at least once in their lives. It is popular among middle-class adolescents and young adults and is sold primarily at legitimate nightclubs and bars, at underground nightclubs sometimes called "acid houses" or at all-night parties known as "raves."
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Steroids
Street terms for anabolic steroids include: Arnolds, gym candy, pumpers, roids, stackers, weight trainers, gear, and juice
The most common source of steroids for illegal use is the Internet. The second most common source is smuggling from Mexico and Europe, where often no prescription is required to obtain them.
The University of Michigan’s 2004 “Monitoring the Future” Study reported 3.4% of 12th graders having used steroids at least once. A Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2003 survey of U.S. high school students found that 6.1% reported having abused steroids, showing a 10-year increasing trend.
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Cocaine
Street terms for cocaine include: blow, nose candy, snowball, tornado, wicky stick
Cocaine is a White crystalline powder. "Crack" or "rock" cocaine is an off-white chunky material.
Cocaine is the second most commonly used illicit drug in the United States. About 10 percent of Americans over the age of 12 have tried cocaine at least once in their lifetime, about 2 percent have tried crack, and nearly one percent is currently using cocaine.
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OxyContin® or Oxycodone
OxyContin® is the brand name of a time-release formula of the analgesic chemical oxycodone. OxyContin®, which is produced by the pharmaceutical company Purdue Pharma, is prescribed as a pain medication. Instances of abuse of this drug have increased in recent years.
Street terms for OxyContin® include: Hillbilly heroin, Oxy, Oxycotton
OxyContin® comes in tablet form. Generic Oxycodone HCl ER comes in small oval, light green tablets. One side of the tablet is labeled “93,” the other side is labeled “33.”
The areas most currently affected by OxyContin® abuse are eastern Kentucky; New Orleans, Louisiana; southern Maine; Philadelphia and southwestern Pennsylvania; southwestern Virginia; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Phoenix, Arizona. An increase in illegal use has been especially apparent on the East Coast. 9% or 19.9 million Americans have used pain relievers illegally in their lifetime.
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Club Drugs
"Club Drugs" has become a widely used term for a number of illicit drugs that are most commonly encountered at nightclubs and all-night parties called "raves." The three primary club drugs are Ecstasy (described above), Ketamine, and GHB. Many other drugs are generally available in the club and rave circuit, however these three drugs are more closely associated with clubs because that is where they are most frequently used.
Kentamine, GHB and Rohypnol are also known as "Predatory" or "Date Rape" drugs. These drugs render the victim incapable of resisting sexual advances and can cause memory problems.
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