Why Trust Recovery Guide Heroin use is becoming more common each day, fueling the opioid epidemic in the United States. Heroin addiction takes hold and doesn’t want to let go, at least without a fight.
As such, it’s not only important to understand the signs of heroin use, but also to know the most common names of heroin on the street.
Street names for heroin serve a practical purpose for parents, educators, and healthcare providers trying to recognize drug use before it escalates.
They also shift over time as dealers adopt new terminology to stay ahead of detection, so staying current matters. If you hear unfamiliar terms and suspect drug involvement, SAMHSA’s helpline can connect you with guidance on next steps.
Common Street Names For Heroin
If you hear someone talking about drug use, you may be unaware of it. This can be due to the fact they are using other names for drugs or drug use, so others won’t know what they’re talking about. This makes it absolutely essential to learn the street names for heroin.
Some of the common street names for heroin include:
- Tar
- Dope
- Smack
- Junk
- Brown sugar
- Mexican mud
- Skunk
- Thunder
Unfortunately, heroin comes in many forms, which includes brown or white powders and even black, sticky substance called black tar.
On the streets, there are several other names for black tar:
- Negra
- Chiva
- Black pearl
- Mexican tar
What Are The Other Types Of Heroin?
In severe cases of heroin addiction, some addicted individuals will go so far as to mix it with other drugs. They do this to create a stronger effect.
Below are a few substances that are mixed with heroin along with the common street names:
- Cold medicine — Often referred to as “cheese.” This was primarily documented in the Dallas area in the 2000s.
- Ecstasy — Either called “H-bomb” or “chocolate chip cookies.”
- Alprazolam (Xanax) — Sometimes combined with heroin; “bars” typically refers to alprazolam alone rather than specifically to the combination
- Cocaine — There are a few names that people use when mixing heroin and cocaine. The names you need to look out for are “boy-girl,” “he-she,” “snowball,” “belushi,” and “bombita.”
- Crack cocaine — The common street names for this are “chocolate rock,” “dragon rock,” and “moon rock.”
- Fentanyl — The most prevalent and dangerous substance currently mixed with heroin. Street terms include “f-bombs” or simply “fent.” Unlike most mixtures listed here, fentanyl is frequently added to heroin without the buyer’s knowledge, making every purchase potentially lethal.
Common Street Names For Heroin Use
If you thought that only teenagers use drug slang to cover their tracks, you’d be wrong. Many addicted individuals often keep their addiction a secret, and the only way to openly talk about it is using this code language. You’ve learned the names for the forms of heroin, so now it’s time to learn the names for using it.
The most common street names for heroin use are:
- dip and dab
- chasing the dragon
- give wings
- daytime and evening (this is used to specify getting high and coming out of it)
There are a lot of other names that signify heroin use, however, these are the most commonly used.
Getting Help For Heroin Use And Abuse
Knowing the names of the types of heroin and their use will make it easier to identify that someone is using it. If you suspect that someone you know is using heroin, keep an ear out for the code words listed above.
Familiarizing yourself with drug-related terminology will help you determine what kind of drugs your loved one may be using.
If you suspect that someone you care about is using heroin, approach the conversation with concern rather than confrontation. Expressing worry about their well-being, rather than focusing on the drug use itself, opens more productive conversations. A counselor or primary care provider can help you determine the most appropriate type of support for your situation.
Browse our directory to find heroin use disorder treatment options nearby, or call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357. It’s free, confidential, and reachable any time of day or night.