OPIOIDS Flashcards
Buprenorphine
Buprenorphine (pronounced ‘bew-pre-nor-feen’) is an opioid prescription drug.
It is taken as a replacement in the treatment of heroin and other opioid dependence. Replacing a prescribed drug to treat a drug of dependence in this way is known as pharmacotherapy. As well as improving wellbeing by preventing physical withdrawal, pharmacotherapy helps to stabilise the lives of people who are dependent on heroin and other opioids, and to reduce the harms related to drug use.
Buprenorphine pharmacotherapy can be used to:
- help people to withdraw from heroin and methadone
reduce the need to use heroin
- this is known as buprenorphine maintenance
- treat severe pain.
Buprenorphine comes in three forms:
-a lime-flavoured, rectangular orange film
-tablets
-liquid
Other Names: Bup, B, subs, bupe, orange.
Codeine
Codeine comes in the following forms:
- tablets
- capsules
- suppositories
- soluble powders and tablets
- liquids.
Fentanyl
Fentanyl is available in many forms. Pharmaceutical fentanyl is used for managing acute or chronic pain and can come in patches, lollipops, or administered as an injection. Illicit fentanyl can be manufactured for use in the illegal drug market.
Other Names: Goodfella, jackpot, murder 8, TNT, Tango and Cash, fentanil, Sublimaze, Actiq, Durogesic, Duragesic.
Heroin
Heroin comes in different forms, including:
- fine white powder
- coarse off-white granules
- tiny pieces of light brown ‘rock’
It is normally sold in ‘caps’ (a small amount, usually enough for one injection) or grams. It is usually packaged in ‘foils’ (aluminium foil packaging) or small, coloured balloons.
Other Names: Smack, gear, hammer, the dragon, H, dope, junk, harry, horse, black tar, white dynamite, homebake, china white, Chinese H, poison, Dr Harry.
Methadone
Methadone is taken as a replacement for heroin and other opioids as part of treatment for dependence on these drugs.
Methadone is also used to relieve pain following heart attacks, trauma and surgery.
Other Names: Done.
Nitazenes
Nitazenes are strong synthetic opioids.
Nitazenes were developed by researchers around 60 years ago as an alternative to morphine, but because of their high potential for overdose were never released. Nitazenes have been connected to a number of overdose deaths worldwide.
Nitazenes are sold as a white powder, crystalline solid, or brown/yellow powder. They have also been found in tablets (fake oxycodone), heroin, ketamine and synthetic cannabinoids.
Other Names: benzimidazole opioids, synthetic opioids, New Psychoactive Substances (NPS)
Common Nitazenes:
- isotonitazene
- metonitazene
- etonitazene
- protonitazene.
Oxycodone
Oxycodone is a medicine used to relieve severe pain.
Oxycodone is also sometimes used by people to get high.
Oxycodone comes in many different forms including capsules, tablets, liquid and suppositories.
Some have slow effects and some have immediate effects.
Common Brand Names: Oxynorm®, OxyContin®, Endone®, Proladone®, Targin.
Other Names: Hillbilly heroin, oxy, OC and O
Opium
Opium is a depressant drug, which means it slows down the messages travelling between your brain and body. It is derived from the opium poppy.
Opium poppy pods hold a milky substance called latex that contains a number of chemicals, including morphine and codeine.
Opium is a sticky dark-brown gum with a strong odour. It can also be manufactured into a liquid or powder.
Other Names: Aunti, Aunti Emma, Big O, O, Black pill, Chandu, Chinese Molasses, Dopium, Dream Gun, Fi-Do-Nie, Gee, Guma, Midnight Oil, Zero.
