Drugs Of Abuse General Information

Both illegal and legal drugs have the potential for being abused. Some drugs that are prescribed as treatment for addiction or pain can even lead to an addiction. The following list is compiled of some of the most commonly abused drugs that are frequently tested for.  If you have any questions about drug testing and the types of products available you are welcome to get in touch with us here.

Amphetamines are a central nervous system stimulant usually used in the treatment of attention deficit hyper-activity disorder (ADHD), narcolepsy, and obesity. Amphetamine and methamphetamine are chemically similar but are not identical. If a person is prescribed Adderall and takes the correct dosage as instructed by their physician, it is highly unlikely that they will show as positive for methamphetamine on a drug test.

Signs of abuse – Anxiety, aggression, increased pupils, insomnia, irresponsible, decreased appetite and weight loss, and increased heart rate and blood pressure

Trade Name – Adderall

Common Street Names- Uppers, speed, wake-ups, eye openers, lid poppers, pep pills

Methamphetamine is a strong central nervous system stimulant that is most commonly used as a recreational drug and not any longer as a treatment for ADHD or obesity. Methamphetamine is amphetamine double methylated, causing it to be significantly more potent, faster acting, and more addictive. Methamphetamine metabolizes into amphetamine so if someone is abusing meth, then they will show positive on a drug test such as our 12 Panel drug test for AMP and MAMP.

Signs of abuse- Sleepiness and irritability, elevated body temperature, increased physical activity, dilated pupils, loss of appetite, dry mouth and bad breath, doing repetitive meaningless tasks, tremors, jaw clenching, headache

Street Names- Speed, crank, tweek, uppers, chalk, cookies, dunk, chak, trash, wash

Cocaine is one of the most commonly abused recreational drugs and is typically associated with being a “party drug.” It is a strong stimulant that causes intense happiness and increased energy. Cocaine has the potential to be extremely addictive.

Signs of abuse- Excitability, extreme happiness, runny nose, risky behaviors, highly talkative, boost in confidence, change in sleeping and eating patterns, financial difficulties, mood swings, weight loss

Street Names- Coke, flake, snow, powder, dust, big rush, pearl, bump, line, nose candy, cola, rail, stash, white, blow

Opiates are a broad drug class of psychoactive analgesics including both naturally occurring substances that are derived from the poppy plant, such as morphine and codeine, as well as synthetically made drugs. Synthetic opiates are typically referred to as opioids and do have a differing chemical makeup, usually requiring a specific drug test. Some common opioids are fentanyl, oxycodone, methadone tramadol, and Buprenorphine. Heroin is within the class of opioids because it is synthetically made-but has almost an identical chemical makeup to morphine-so it will also show on this testing panel.

Signs of abuse- Weakened immune system, vomiting, diarrhea, sedation and delayed reactions in short term, flushed itchy skin, withdrawing from social activities, impulsive actions or decisions, risky, needle marks on arms or legs, and sudden mood swings

Trade Names- Morphine and codeine. Brand names including OxyCotin, Percocet, Vicodin, Tylox, and Demerol

Street names- Varies depending on the type of opiate. Heroin street names – skag, brown sugar, hell dust, thunder, Smack, junk, dope, H, white horse, horse, China white, and skunk

Marijuana or cannabis is a psychoactive drug derived from the cannabis plant that is used recreationally and sometimes for medicinal purposes.

Signs of abuse- Dry mouth, rapid heartbeat, red, blurry, blood shot eyes, impaired coordination, hallucinations, difficulty thinking and

problem solving, ongoing problems with learning and memory, anxiety, fear and paranoia

Street names- Weed, pot, grass, herb, ashes, blunt, ganja, reefer, bomber, boom, broccoli, and dope

Phencyclidine is a dissociative drug that was once used an anesthetic pharmaceutical drug, but had been taken off the market in 1965 due to the prevalent hallucinogenic side effects. Now it is only used as a recreational drug.

Signs of abuse- Hallucinations, delusions, irrationality, out of body experience, stuttering, impaired memory, inability to think clearly, inability to speak, anxiety, depression, rapid heartbeat, numbness

Street names- Angle dust, kools, tank, peter pan, happy sticks, hog, wack, ozone

Oxycodone is a semi-synthetic opioid derived from the poppy plant. Oxycodone is typically prescribed as an analgesic for moderate to severe pain. It is also frequently abused as a recreational drug.

Signs of abuse- Dry mouth, sweating, itching, euphoria, headache, respiratory suppression, sweating, sedation, constipation, and low blood pressure

Trade names- Oxycotin, Percocet, Roxicodone, Percodan,

Street names- Cotton, pills, ox, OCs, killers, beans, Oxys, kickers

Ecstasy (MDMA ,3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is a synthetic psychoactive stimulant that is used as a recreational drug. It is commonly associated with being a “party drug.”

Signs of abuse- Changes in social circles, sudden difficulty in meeting daily responsibilities, lying or secretive behavior, impulsiveness

Street Names – X, XTC, beans, molly, skittles, sweets, doves, candy, thizz, hug drug, and love drug

Benzodiazepines are psychoactive central nervous system depressants typically used as a prescribed medication for treating a range of conditions such as anxiety, depression, or insomnia. Benzos have properties that help to reduce anxiety, relax the muscles, and induce sleep.

Signs of abuse– Drowsiness, dizziness, confusion, stupor, slurred speech, slowed reaction time, and poor concentration and memory

Trade names- Benzos.

Brands- Xanex, Klonopin, Tranxene, Niravam, Doral, Valium, Lorazepam,

Street names – Benzos, blue V, candy, tranks, downers, roofies,

Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist, making it an ideal treatment solution for weaning someone off of a highly potent opioid such as heroin. Buprenorphine is frequently used in drug therapy because it produces significant effects such as euphoria, but is much less addictive and helps to suppress symptoms of opioid withdrawal. However, Buprenorphine produces more effects only until a certain point as more of the drug is ingested. It eventually reaches a plateau, and an increase in dosage of the drug will no longer produce any increase in feelings of euphoria. This is called having a “ceiling effect.” For further information about Buprenorphine and it’s usage in the healthcare industry please visit The National Alliance of Advocates for Buprenorphine Treatment

Signs of abuse– Diarrhea, sleep trouble, vomiting, nausea, fainting, appetite loss, tearing, dilated pupils

Trade names– suboxone, subutex

Street names- Saboxin, stops, box, oranges, subs, and Bups

Barbiturates act as a central nervous system depressant, and can provide varying effects from mild anesthesia to total sedation. Due to Barbiturates having a higher likelihood of overdose and increased likelihood for addiction, they have largely been replaced by Benzodiazepines for prescribing patients.

Signs of abuse- Difficulty thinking, poor judgment, slow and shallow breathing, slow talking, poor coordination, lethargy

Trade names – Brands- Allonal, Amytal Sodium, Brevital, Butabarb, Butalan, Buticaps, Butisol Sodium, Luminal, Mebaral

Street Names- yellow jackets, yellows, red birds, reds, barbs, tooies and phennies

Methadone is a synthetic opioid that is an analgesic used frequently in substance abuse therapy. It produces the similar effects as a stronger opioid (such as heroin), but is less addictive and therefore helps to wean people off of their opioid dependence.

Signs of abuse- Nausea and vomiting, sweating, constricted pupils, constipation, increased pain, slowed breathing

Trade names- Brand names- Diskets Dispersible, Dolophine, Methadone HCl Intensol, Methadose,

Street Names – Methadose, dollies, dolls, done, meth, phy, juice, wafer, salvia, pastora, fizzies

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid widely used in the healthcare industry in tandem with anesthesia to remove the sensation of pain from specific areas or the entire body. According to the CDC, Fentanyl is around 100 times more potent than morphine and considerably more potent than heroin. This makes fentanyl extremely dangerous to current drug abusers that experiment with fentanyl, often times leading to accidental overdoses.

Sings of abuse- Poor balance or coordination, mood swings, hallucinations, abnormal thoughts, irresponsible, social problems, unable to hold a job, anxiety

Trade names- Fentanyl.

Brand names- Duragesic, Fentanyl Transdermal System, Sublimaze, Subsys

Street names- China white, China girl, friend, king ivory, murder 8, jackpot, he-man, great bear, dance feaver, china town, tango & cash

Tramadol is an opioid pain medication used to treat moderate to severe chronic pain. It is usually taken orally, with its analgesic effects taking quick effect usually with a noticeable pain relief within an hour, and the peak between 2-4 hours. Although tramadol does have a low potential for abuse, it still does happen.

Signs of abuse- Agitation, confusion, diarrhea, nervousness, vomiting, trouble sleeping, loss of coordination

Trade names- Brand names- Tramadol Hydrochloride ER, Ultram, Ultram ER, ConZip

Street names- Chill pills, ultras, oxytocin lite

K2 is a synthetic form of marijuana that provides the same effect, but is only used for recreational purposes.

Signs of abuse- Paranoia, anxiety, agitation, disordered thinking, dry mouth, rapid heartbeat, red blurry blood shot eyes, impaired coordination, hallucinations, difficulty thinking and problem solving, ongoing problems with learning and memory

Street names- Scooby snacks, k2, spice, weed, genie, spice, blaze, red X dawn, bluss, Black Mamba, Bombay Blue, fake