People rarely say “heroin” out loud when they’re talking about it. On the street, it almost always goes by something else. These heroin street names act like a code—words that sound ordinary enough to blend into conversation while hiding something much darker underneath.
Names like brown sugaror china whitedon’t sound dangerous on their own. That’s part of the problem. They soften the reality of a drug that carries a high risk of overdose, deep physical dependence, and long-term damage to mental health. Learning these terms isn’t about memorizing slang. It’s about being able to recognize what’s happening when drug use is being discussed right in front of you—sometimes without anyone realizing it.




