KNOW THE OPTIONS • GET THE FACTS                                                                                  Common Names for Prescription Opioid Pain Medications

Different names are often used for the same drugs, which can make it hard to tell exactly what type of pain medication is being taken. This can result in patients misidentifying the types of medications they are on, failing to report certain medications to their health care provider, or duplicating therapy by unknowingly taking the name brand and generic versions of one medication. The table below outlines some common brand and slang names for prescription opioid pain medications. Be sure to tell your health care provider about any and all medications you are taking, in order to avoid potentially dangerous combinations.

Medication Generic Name Brand Names Street/Slang Names
Oxycodone OxyContin®, Percodan®, Percocet®, 
and others		 O.C., Oxycet, Oxycotton, Oxy, 
Hillbilly Heroin, Percs
Hydrocodone or dihydrocodeinone
 (typically combined with 
 acetaminophen) 		 Vicodin®, Lortab®, Lorcet®, and others Vike, Watson-387
Morphine Kadian®, Avinza®, MS Contin®, 
Duramorph®, Roxanol®		 M, Miss Emma, Monkey, White Stuff
Codeine Various brand names; often combined 
with acetaminophen and aspirin 		 Captain Cody, Cody, Lean, Schoolboy, 
Sizzurp, Purple Drank
With glutethimide: Doors & Fours, 
Loads, Pancakes and Syrup
Fentanyl Duragesic®, Actiq®, Sublimaze® Apache, China Girl, China White, 
Dance Fever, Friend, Goodfella, 
Jackpot, Murder 8, Tango and Cash, 
TNT
Hydromorphone Dilaudid® D, Dillies, Footballs, Juice, Smack
Meperidine Demerol® Demmies
Oxymorphone  Opana® Biscuits, Blue Heaven, Blues, Mrs. O, 
O Bomb, Octagons, Stop Signs

Sources Consulted: 
• National Institute on Drug Abuse. Drug facts: Prescription pain medications (Opioids). NIDA for Teens. Retrieved 
from http://teens.drugabuse.gov/drug-facts/prescription-pain-medications-opioids
• National Institute on Drug Abuse. Commonly abused drugs charts (Prescription opioids). Drugs of Abuse. 
Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/commonly-abused-drugs-charts

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