Drug Slang & Street Names: What They Really Mean
Evidence-based answer reviewed against SAMHSA cutoffs and FDA assay documentation · Updated September 2026
Quick answer: Street names disguise drugs in conversation — and in search. Knowing what 'crank', 'blow', 't', 'ice', 'tina', 'molly', and 'special k' actually refer to matters for recognizing use and understanding what a drug test would detect.
Stimulant slang
Crank and crystal = methamphetamine. Blow, snow, coke = cocaine. Ice, tina, shabu = crystal meth. Molly / mandy = MDMA (ecstasy). These all appear on standard or expanded panels: meth and cocaine on the 5-panel, MDMA on 10+ panels.
Depressant & dissociative slang
Special K = ketamine (dissociative, needs a specialty panel). Angel dust = PCP (on the 5-panel). Bars = alprazolam/alprazolam. Downers = benzodiazepines or barbiturates (expanded panels). Ludes = methaqualone (rarely tested).
Why slang matters for testing
Slang hides the drug class — and the class determines the panel. A 5-panel catches cocaine, meth, PCP, opiates, and THC regardless of the street name. Expanded panels add benzodiazepines, barbiturates, MDMA, and oxycodone. If someone says they used 'tina' or 'ice,' that is meth — detectable in urine 2–5 days, hair 90 days.
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Sources & further reading
- SAMHSA — Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs (cutoffs, MRO process)
- DOT — 49 CFR Part 40 procedures for transportation workplace testing
- Brahm NC et al., Mayo Clinic Proceedings 2008;83(1):66–76 — false-positive cross-reactivity reference
- FDA — drug-of-abuse test device labeling (detection window conventions)