Substance Abuse and Drug Rehab Glossary: N – S

In the first two installments of the Substance Abuse and Drug Rehab Glossary, we covered a number of phrases commonly used by drug dealers and their customers. Although nobody can learn all of the drug slang in use today, it’s essential that the lay public understand the most prevalent of these terms. Failure to do so might allow friends and relatives to easily hide their drug habits, never getting the help they need. Here are a few more drug terms you ought to know.

New One: A unused hypodermic needle. It can be difficult for heroin users to find clean needles, and they are coveted possession in communities where HIV and other blood-borne illnesses are rampant.

Nug: Also called a “nugget,” this is a tiny wad of some type of drug – usually marijuana.

Optical Illusions: LSD is known to cause vivid hallucinations, often referred to as “optical illusions.”

Oxy: Short for Oxycontin, one of the most commonly-abused substances among people who attend drug rehab. Oxycontin is a relatively common prescription drug in the United States, and it is used for self-medicating by both teens and adults.

Pharm Party: A party where attendees bring various prescription medications. According to recent news stories, teens who go to pharm parties will consume dangerous combinations of these powerful drugs. These mixtures are sometimes referred to as “trail mixes.”

Philly Blunt: This is actually a brand name of a thin cigar. However, the term has become synonymous with a large joint among pot smokers. People will remove most of the tobacco, fill the cigars with marijuana, and smoke them as they would any other joint.

Red: The state of being high, drunk, or both. This term is most frequently used to describe people who are using methamphetamines.

Redneck Cocaine: Methamphetamines. In its powder form, cocaine is one of the more expensive drugs on the illicit market, and it has a reputation for being the substance of choice in high society. Since meth is cheaper, produces similar effects, and is common in Southern and Midwestern states, it is often referred to as redneck cocaine.

Robo-tripping: Robitussin and many other cough medicines contain dextromethorphan – an ingredient which can be hallucinogenic when taken in massive doses. Teens who get high on cough syrups often refer to the practice as “robotripping.”

Roofies: A slang term for small doses of rohypnol, the most common date rape drug. These are sometimes discretely slipped into drinks at parties.

Shoppers: These are people who buy drugs on behalf of others, sometimes for a profit. Businesspeople, teenagers, and others who are afraid of getting caught may use shoppers in attempts to avoid legal trouble.

Skin-popping: The practice of purposefully injecting heroin or other drugs into muscle or subcutaneous fat. This leads to a slower release of the drug into the bloodstream, but it can also cause deadly infections – especially when dirty needles are used.

Snow: One of the many synonyms for cocaine hydrochloride, the powdered form of cocaine.

Special K: Colloquial terms for ketamine, a medical anesthetic and common party drug. It causes euphoria and hallucinations, and it is often used in combination with ecstasy and alcohol.

Syrup Head: Someone who uses cough syrups to get high.

If any of these terms sound familiar, then someone in your life may be struggling with a drug problem. Don’t wait until they’ve run out of time – call the number at the top of your screen for a free consultation with one of our trained addiction specialists. We can help you or your loved one get started on one of the best drug rehab programs in the country.