When we talk about opioids, we mean heroin and prescription painkillers, like OxyContin, Percocet, or Vicodin. Opioids are used to reduce pain. They are also very addictive.
Here’s a list of common opioid drugs, also called narcotics:
- Codeine
- Fentanyl (Actiq, Duragesic, Fentora)
- Hydrocodone (Lorcet, Lortab, Norco, Vicodin)
- Hydromorphone (Dilaudid, Exalgo)
- Meperidine (Demerol)
- Methadone (Dolophine, Methadose)
- Morphine (Avinza, Kadian, MS Contin, Ora-Morph SR)
- Oxycodone (OxyContin, Oxyfast, Percocet, Roxicodone)
- Oxycodone and naloxone (Targiniq ER)
Heroin is a type of opioid — it comes from morphine. It’s usually white or brown powder (it can also be dark tar) that people inject (“shoot up”), snort, or smoke.
Street names for heroin include:
Some names refer to where the heroin was made, like “Mexican Black Tar.” Others are more like brand names, such as “Brainstorm.”