Some medications have a higher risk of misuse. Prescription medications are only safe when used correctly by the person they were prescribed to.

Definition: Depressant substances reduce arousal and stimulation. They affect the central nervous system, slowing down the messages between the brain and body.

Prescribed to treat: Anxiety, panic attacks, seizures and insomnia

Brand names: Xanax, Ativan, Valium, Ambien, Lunesta, Sonata

Misuse: Can happen when someone takes depressants to cope with mental health symptoms or to manage stress

Definition: Stimulants increase the activity of the central nervous system and reverse the effects of fatigue on both mental and physical tasks.

Prescribed to treat: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), narcolepsy and for short-term treatment of obesity

Brand names: Adderall, Dexedrine, Vyvanse

Illegal Stimulants include: Methamphetamine (meth), cocaine, MDMA and bath salts

Misuse: Can happen when people take stimulants for weight loss, to help focus or to improve athletic performance

Definition: Opioids are natural, semi-synthetic, or synthetic chemicals that interact with opioid receptors in the body and brain to reduce perception of pain.

Prescribed to treat: Severe pain; they are highly addictive and should only be used as directed by a licensed healthcare professional

Brand names: OxyContin, Percocet, Vicodin, Fentanyl

Misuse: Can happen when taken in a way not prescribed, such as taking a higher dose, using someone else’s prescription or using medications to achieve a high.

Just like substances have evolved, so has the way people talk about them with different nicknames and even emojis. The more you know, the easier it will be to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Fentanyl

Brand Name: Actiq, Sublimaze Fentora, Abstral, Subsys, Lazanda, Duragesic

Street Names: Apache, China Girl, China White, Dance Fever, Friend, Goodfella,
Jackpot, Murder 8, Tango and Cash, TNT

Lorazepam

Brand Name: Ativan®

Street Names: Bars, Benzos, Blues, Candy, Chill Pills, Downers, Nerve Pills, Planks,
Tranks, Zannies

Diazepam

Brand Name: Valium®

Street Names: Eggs, Jellies, Moggies, Vallies

Adderall

Brand Name: Adderall®, Dexedrine®, Ritalin®, Concerta®

Street Names: Kibbles and Bits, R-Ball, The Smart Drug, Vitamin R, Bennies, Black Beauties, Hearts, Skippy, Uppers, Beans, Amps

Lisdexamfetamine

Brand Name: Vyvanse®

Street Names: Uppers, Speed, Pick-Me-Ups, Crosses, Hearts

Methylphenidate

Brand Name: Ritalin® Concerta®

Street Names: Kibbles and Bits, R-Ball, The Smart Drug, Vitamin R

Methamphetamine

Street Names: Chalk, Christina, Cookies, Crank, Cream, Crystal, Crystal Meth, Ice, Meth, No Doze, No Stop, Pookie, Rocket Fuel, Scooby Snacks, Speed, Trash, Tweek, Wash, White Cross

Cocaine

Street Names: Aunt Nora, Batman, Big C, Big Rush, Blow, Candy, Charlie, Coca, Coke, Colombia, Crack, Pearl, Powder, Rail, Snow, Stardust, Stash, White Girl

Crack Cocaine

Street Names: Crack, Dice, Garbage, Grit, Hail, Moon Rocks, Nuggets, Sleet,
Sugar Block, Tornado, Trash, Trey, Yam, Yay

Heroin

Street Names: Black Tar, Black Pearl, Black Stuff, Brown Crystal, Brown Rhine, Brown Sugar, Brown Tape, China White, Dope, Dragon, The Dragon, H, He, Horse, Junk, Mud, Number 3, Number 4, Number 8, Sack, Scat, Skag, Skunk, Smack

Marijuana

Street Names: 420, Bud, Broccoli, Cheeba, Chronic, Dope, Flower, Ganja, Grass, Green, Hash, Herb, Hot Stick, Jane, Jay, Jolly Green, Mary Jane, Pot, Roach, Reefer, Skunk, Smoke, Trees, Weed

MDMA Ecstasy

Street Names: Adam, Beans, Candy, Clarity, Dancing Shoes, Disco Biscuits, E, E-Bomb, Egg Rolls, Eve, Happy Pills, Lover’s Speed, Molly, Peace, Rolls, Smartees, The Vowel, Vitamin E, Vitamin X

Mushrooms

Street Names: Caps, Magic Mushrooms, Shrooms

Mixing opioids with alcohol or other substances is dangerous – and often deadly. This combo can make the effects of opioids even more hazardous, leading to severe health issues like respiratory failure, coma or death.

People may think there’s a safe way to combine substances since they’ve done it before or know people who have. The truth is, your body can react differently every time. Mixing substances is never safe.

Stimulants can increase your heart rate and blood pressure to dangerous levels.

Increased risk for: 

• Brain injury
• Liver damage
• Heart attack
• Stroke

Signs of an Overdose:

• Fast/troubled breathing
• Increased body temperature
• Nausea or vomiting
• Chest pain
• Seizures

If you aren’t sure if a person is experiencing an overdose, treat it like one.

1. Call 911 Immediately
2. Follow Dispatch Instructions
3. Administer Naloxone
4. Try to Keep the Person Awake and Breathing
5. Lay the Person on Their Side to Prevent Choking
6. Stay with the Person Until Emergency Assistance Arrives

*South Dakota law protects a person who is overdosing and the person who called for help from legal trouble.