Drug Info Centre

Alcohol

Also known as booze, drink, goon, juice, liquor, piss, plonk, bevvies, nip, sauce, grog, charge.

Alcohol is a depressant drug. It is made from ethanol and is the most commonly used drug in Australia.

Amphetamines

Also known as speed, uppers, ice, crystal meth, whiz, whip, rock, goey, base, paste, dexies, meth

Amphetamines are stimulant drugs. They take the forms of powder, tablets, capsules, crystal or paste. Use can be legal or illegal.

Benzodiazepines

Also known as benzos, tranx, sleepers, sleeping pills, downers, pills, xannies, serras, moggies

There are about 30 different types. Most common are temazepam, nitrazepam, diazepam (Valium), oxazepam, clonazepam and alprazolam.

Cannabis

Also known as marijuana, grass, kif, yarndi, pot, weed, green, reefer, Mary Jane, doobie, bud, hashish, dope, ganja, joint, spliff, smoke, hemp, stick, bhang, chronic, cone, choof, mull, dabbing

Cannabis is a cannabinoid drug. It is made up of dried leaves, flowers, stems or seeds from the cannabis plant. Cannabis contains more than 80 chemicals, including Delta9 TetraHydroCannabinol (THC), which is the chemical responsible for the “high” effect. Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug in Australia.

Cocaine

Also known as coke, crack, blow, Charlie, C, pepsi, cola, Vitamin C, dust, flake, nose candy, white lady, toot, snow, white dust, white, crack, rock, freebase, okey doke, AKA

Cocaine is a stimulant drug. It is extracted from the leaves of the coca plant.  The different types are:

• cocaine hydrochloride, a white or off-white powder (can be mixed or “cut” with other substances, which may be harmful)
• freebase, a purer form made from treating cocaine with ammonia
• crack, made from treating cocaine with baking soda to produce rock crystals. Its name relates to the crackling sound it makes when smoked.

Codeine

Panadeine, Panadeine Forte, Mersyndol, Nurofen Plus, Aspalgin, Disprin Forte

Codeine is an opioid drug. It is used in pain-relief medications and can only be prescribed by a doctor. In the body, codeine is converted to morphine. People who use it for pain management can develop a tolerance and dependence. Some people choose to take it illegally for non-medicinal and recreational use.

Fentanyl

Also known as china girl, china white, Bear, dance fever, Goodfella, murder 8, TNT, Tango and cash

Fentanyl is an opioid drug. A doctor can prescribe it for legal use in the treatment of severe pain. Some people use it illegally for recreational use. It is a powerful synthetic drug, similar to morphine but 80 to 100 times stronger.

GHB (Fantasy)

Also known as fantasy, liquid ecstasy, liquid E, liquid X, Gina or G, juice, blue nitro, fishies, Home Boy, grievous bodily harm, soap-e

Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) is a depressant drug. It usually comes as a clear or blue liquid packaged in small bottles or vials, some shaped like a fish (such as those used for containing soy sauce). It may be in crystal or powder form.

Hallucinogens (LSD)

Also known as psychedelics, acid, trips, cubes, liberty caps, liberties, zen, dots, battery acid, looney toons, superman, magic mushrooms, mushies, shrooms, Lucy, California sunshine, blotter, cid, microdot, tabs, Sally, sage, magic mint, angel dust

They are a group of drugs which alter a person’s perception, mood and thought, and may cause hallucinations – where people see, hear, smell, taste or touch things that aren’t there. Being under the influence of these drugs is known as “tripping.”

Heroin

Also known as smack, horse, junk, gear, dynamite, hammer, the dragon, skag, shit, brown, Harry, boy, “H”, black, black tar, tar, black pearl, China White, skunk, snow, snowball

Heroin is a very addictive opioid drug and acts like a depressant. It is made from the sap of the opium poppy.  In Australia, heroin can be a fine white powder or granules or tiny rocks, which are normally white, off-white or sometimes brown. It can be mixed with other potentially harmful substances, making it difficult to know the drug’s purity.

Inhalants

Also known as sniffing, huffing, chroming, poppers, bagging, rexing, rush, climax, ram, thrust, heart-on, jungle juice aroma

Inhalants are volatile substances, which have chemical fumes that sometimes are breathed in to alter the mind and get a “buzz” or feeling of excitement. They are usually a depressant drug, though some inhalants (nitrates) act as a dissociative.

Ketamine

Also known as K, super K, special K, lady K, vitamin K, cat tranquiliser, ket, ketaset, ketalar, kitkat, horse trank, horse tranquiliser

Ketamine is a dissociative drug. It is commonly used by vets to sedate animals. Doctors also use it as an anaesthetic or can prescribe it for the treatment of depression. Some people use ketamine illegally for recreational purposes. The drug is manufactured as a liquid which is then evaporated to form a white or light brown powder.

MDMA (Ecstasy)

Also known as E, pills, adam, ck, disco biscuit, caps, pingers, sweets, lollies, M&M, doopa, love drug, bikkies, XTC, X, flippers, molly, ecky or eccy.

Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is an empathogen drug, which means it increases a person’s feelings of empathy, kindness and social connectivity. It can also act as a stimulant and hallucinogen. It is commonly known as ecstasy and is a synthetic drug, which comes in the forms of tablets, capsules, powder or crystal. Pills may or may not contain MDMA, as they may be produced using other and potentially harmful substances, making it difficult to know its contents.

Methamphetamine

Also known as crystal meth, base, crank, oxblood, paste, whiz, zest, shabu, glass, shard, rev, wax, tweak, P, Tina, fire, skates

Methamphetamine is a stimulant drug. It can have a crystalline appearance, which is why it is often called “crystal” or “ice”. It can also come in a white or off-white powder, often called “speed”. Less often, it is produced as a brown oily substance known as “base” or liquid. It is made with pharmaceutical drugs and household chemicals, and may include unknown or harmful ingredients.

Nicotine

Also known as cigarettes, ciggies, tabs, darts, durries, rollies, smokes, fags, butts, snus, zyn, pouch.

Nicotine is a stimulant drug, found in tobacco products. Cigarette smoke contains more than 7000 chemicals, many of which are harmful. They include: carbon monoxide, tar, acetone, lead, mercury, chromium and cadmium, hydrogen cyanide, ammonia, polonium 210. Over 70 of these chemicals have been found to be carcinogenic (cancer-causing).

Anabolic Steroids

Also known as roids, arnolds, andro, arnies, a’s, balls, bulls, caseys, gear, gym candy, juice, pumpers, stackers, steroids, vets’ drugs, weight trainers, weight gainers

Often known as performance and image enhancing drugs, anabolic steroids are synthetic drugs that imitate male sex hormones (testosterone), and are used to grow and repair muscle tissue.

Vaping

Also known as e-cigarettes, e-cigs, electro-smoke, vapes, vape pens, pods, Juul, electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS), puff bars, e-hookah, IGET bar

Vaping involves inhaling vapours produced by heating a liquid solution (“e-liquid” or “e-juice) in battery-operated devices. Devices or “vapes” are used to smoke nicotine, but are also used to smoke other drugs, such as cannabis, or nicotine-free flavoured liquids.