Addiction Drug Use Cocaine Common Street Names for Cocaine Slang Terms Based on Appearance, Effects, Drug Culture By Buddy T Buddy T Facebook Twitter Buddy T is an anonymous writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Learn about our editorial process Updated on May 12, 2022 Fact checked Verywell Mind content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. We rely on the most current and reputable sources, which are cited in the text and listed at the bottom of each article. Content is fact checked after it has been edited and before publication. Learn more. by Emily Swaim Fact checked by Emily Swaim LinkedIn Emily is a board-certified science editor who has worked with top digital publishing brands like Voices for Biodiversity, Study.com, GoodTherapy, Vox, and Verywell. Learn about our editorial process Print Jose Azel / Getty Images Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Appearance Cultural Influences Geographical Origin Effects People and Characters Plays on the Word Cocaine Purely Deceptive Names Cocaine Mixed With Other Drugs At the peak of its use in the 1970s and 1980s, cocaine began to influence many aspects of American culture. Glamorized in songs, movies, and disco culture, cocaine became a very popular recreational drug. Some of the cocaine street names, slang terms, and nicknames used during the height of its popularity have become part of the American lexicon. Some of those names are based on the appearance of the drug, the effect cocaine has on users, the influence the drug has had on many aspects of society, and merely to cover up the topic of conversation. Appearance Cocaine begins as green leaves of the coca plant, but by the time people use it, it's already been developed into a flaky white powder. Cocaine is also a component of crack cocaine. Cocaine is dissolved into water and ammonia or sodium bicarbonate, boiled, dried, and then broken off into small rocks. Cocaine Street Names Blanca Flake Gold dust Haven dust Snow white Crack Cocaine Street Names Badrock Crack Devil drug Hard ball Snow coke Additional cocaine street names based on the drug's appearance include: Bernie's flakesBernie's gold dustBig blokeBig flakeHave a dustIcingLineParadise whitePearlSleigh rideSnowconesWhite mosquitoWhite powder What Cocaine and Crack Really Look Like Cultural Influences As the drug began to gain popularity in the 1970s, it also began to influence many areas of society, particularly the entertainment industry. Many cocaine street names that evolved into the language were the result of the drug's influence on American culture, as well as the culture's influence on the use of the drug. All-American drugCalifornia cornflakesDouble bubbleDreamFlorida snowFoo fooFoo-foo dustGift-of-the-sunGift-of-the-sun-godGinGirlfriendHunterKingKing's habitLate nightLove affairMovie star drugPimpSchoolboyScorpionSevenupSociety highStardustStar-spangled powderStudio fuel Cocaine: Everything You’ve Been Afraid to Ask Geographical Origin Some names used for cocaine are based on the geographic origin of the drug, or at least the perceived geographic origin of the drug. Some of these street names may be used for the sole purpose of enhancing the perceived market value of the drug. BurneseInca messagePerciaPercioPeruvianPeruvian flakePeruvian lady Effects More cocaine street names were derived from how the drug affects its users. The potency or the pureness of the drug also prompted many of its nicknames and street names. Big rushBolivian marching powderBouncing powderFriskie powderGlad stuffHappy dustHappy powderHappy trailsLove affairMarching dustMarching powderNose candyNose powderNose stuffParadise Effects of a Cocaine High People and Characters Typical for most illegal drugs, some of the street names used to refer to cocaine sound like names of people, at least in part to disguise the subject of the conversation. Some of these nicknames are based loosely on the word "cocaine" while others seem to have no apparent logical connection at all. AngieAunt NoraBerniceBernieBillie HokeCarrieCarrie NationCecilCharlieChippyChoeCorrineCorrinneHenry VIIIHerJejoLady SnowMerckMerkMujerNieveSchmeckScottieSerpico 21 Plays on the Word Cocaine Some of cocaine's street names are simply derivatives of the word "cocaine" itself, or plays on the words "cocaine" and "coke." Big CCC-gameCocaCoconutCokeColaLady CaineMama Coca Purely Deceptive Street Names There are dozens of slang terms for cocaine that seem to be based on no other criteria except that they are deceptive. These names are used by cocaine users to cover up the topic of their conversations about the drug in case they are overheard by others. BarbsBasaBaseBazulcoBeamBoyBureseCameCandy CCarnieC-dustChollyCombolDuctEl PericoEsnortiarJellyMonsterMosquitosTardustTeenagerYescaYescoZambi Cocaine Mixed With Other Drugs There are also slang terms used to describe cocaine when it is combined with other illicit substances, including: Cocaine with PCP: Space, whack Cocaine paste with marijuana: Bazooka Cocaine mixed with heroin: Belushi, bombita, speedball Crack cocaine mixed with fentanyl: Dirty fentanyl, takeover If you or a loved one are struggling with substance use or addiction, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area. For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database. 4 Sources Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Goldstein RA, Deslauriers C, Burda AM. Cocaine: history, social implications, and toxicity--a review. Dis Mon. 2009;55(1):6-38. doi:10.1016/j.disamonth.2008.10.002 National Institute on Drug Abuse. What is cocaine?. U.S. Department of Justice. Crack cocaine fast facts. National Institute on Drug Abuse. Cocaine. Additional Reading Drug Enforcement Administration. 2018 slang terms and code words. DEA Intelligence Report. Drug Policy Alliance. 10 facts about cocaine. By Buddy T Buddy T is an anonymous writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? 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