A Resource for Parents & Educators
-What to look for -What to Listen for -What to Know
"This page is a guide to drugs, slang and paraphernalia. Click here for information compiled by Boise Police Drug Recognition Experts:
Pharmaceuticals
Abuse of prescription drugs is a growing problem among young people in the Boise area. These drugs are very dangerous.
Young people may steal the drugs from parents or others or forge prescriptions. The drugs may be taken orally, or crushed and injected or snorted to get high. Common drugs that Boise Police find abused in our area include: Ritalin, Dexedrine, OxyContin, Darvon, Vicodin, and Valium
Look for: A single pills or groups of pills mixed together in unmarked bottles or baggies, not professionally packaged.
Paraphernalia: dirty spoons and needles, dirty cotton swabs (used to clean the spoon), dirty cotton balls (used as filters for shooting up), mini torches with butane fuel (used to heat up the spoon), snort tubes piece of cut straw, hollow tube of a pen, may have residue inside.
Storage: Empty pill bottles or small containers.
Parent Resources: Drug Bibles books that contain photos or pills, available at libraries or local books stores. The Poison Control Center 1-800-222-1222.
Heroin
Heroin abuse is something Boise Police are finding among users as young as high school age, although the percentage
of high school age heroin users is estimated to be very, very small
Look for: Heroin is delivered in tiny pieces of small, colorful toy balloons with the drug wrapped tightly inside. Occasionally it may be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or foil. A typical user amount of heroin is only the size of a pencil eraser. Tiny bits of plastic, balloons, burned foil or used syringes may be found discarded by users in trash cans.
Slang: Chiva (cheeva), Black
Paraphernalia: syringes, burned spoons, dirty cotton balls or Q-tips, tie bands (used to tie around an arm before injecting). Heroin can be smoked in pipes, but narcotics officers dont find much of that in this area. For more information on Heroin abuse, click here
Marijuana
Boise Police find marijuana is probably the most widely used illegal drug in the valley. 
Slang: Chronic, Dank, Weed, Bud, Green. When high on marijuana, users say someone is baked.
Look for: Marijuana is often kept in baggies. Users may have stickers with the numbers 420, which means time to smoke, or 840, double the high. Clocks may be set to these 4:20 or 8:40 . Users may have clothing or posters with marijuana or hemp symbols, or bong on t-shirts and clothing. 
Paraphernalia: pipes, bongs, scales, rolling papers, scales. Glass pipes are popular. Pipes and bongs may be bought or homemade.
Storage: zip-lock baggies (found with residue), wooden boxes, film canisters, other unique small storage containers. For more information on Marijuana abuse, click here
Meth
Boise Police find meth is one of the most dangerous, widespread drugs abused in our area. 
Users often begin by snorting the drug, then smoke it, then injected. Crystal Meth is popular now and marketed as more pure, but in reality is no different than colored meth.
Slang: Shards (like shards of glass), Crank, Crystal, CR, Powder. Meth users are Tweekers. Meth is often bought in a T or Teener (1/16th oz.), or an 8 Ball (1/8th oz.).
Look for: A clear, white or brown powder, white or brown chunky material, or white crystals often kept in zip-lock baggies. Users may have 8-Ball symbols on clothing, key chains or posters. Users may wear ball caps with a "CR" symbol. Users may discard corners of sandwich baggies or grocery bags with small bits ripped off, as well as bits of straws heat sealed at the ends.
Paraphernalia: meth pipes are often made of thin glass and may have dark residue inside. Mini torches (not lighters)
and butane fuel or propane bottles (the type used for camp stoves). Snort tubes piece of cut straw, hollow tube of a pen, may have residue inside. Needles, syringes, dirty spoons and cotton, scales.
Storage : Meth materials are often kept in purple Crown Royal Bags, or other small storage containers, zip-lock baggies with residue. For more information on Methamphetamine , click here
Cocaine
Boise Police find cocaine use has decreased with the popularity of meth. Cocaine is more expensive than meth and may
be sold with heroin
Slang: White, Yeah, Coca, Cola, Yola.
Look for: Cocaine is a white, flaky, almost shiny powder (more like flour than meth), often kept tightly wrapped in plastic bags or baggies. May also be tightly wrapped in small pieces of balloons. Rock Cocaine (for smoking) looks like waxy dried white or almond-colored bread.
Paraphernalia: Very small spoons, small mirrors with razor blades, snort tubes rolled dollar bills, piece of cut straw, hollow tube of a pen. Dealers will use scales for measurement.
Storage: Plastic baggies or glass vials, snuff-type dispensers with tiny spoons attached. For more information on Cocaine abuse, click here
LSD
LSD is not common in the Boise area but can be easy to conceal. Boise Police find, like club drugs, LSD may be
distributed at parties.
Slang: Acid, Fry. When a user is high on acid, theyre frying.
Look for: tiny, pills-sized papers. A drop of liquid LSD is put on a tiny piece of paper that users put in their mouth.Users will discard stained paper that may be wrapped in foil. Liquid breath freshener bottles with dispensers can be emptied out and filled with LSD. Drops are hits. LSD can be put on candy - look for discolored candy wrapped in foil. To learn more about LSD, click here
Ecstasy
Ectasy is a Club Drug; pills often sold or given out at bars, parties or raves (underground parties). One pill is usually a dose
for the night.
Slang: E, E-tard, E-Bomb when taken with Vics Vapor Rub to enhance the high, Double stack when pills are doubled up.
Look For: pills with pop culture icons printed on them. Popular icons include a crown, dollar signs, mickey mouse, designer logos like CK. Users will often suck on baby pacifiers.
Storage: Pills are often kept in baggies or other containers so theyre not crushed or broken.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms are a hallucinogen that can be used alone, or treated with LSD. Dried mushrooms often smell bad.
Slang: Shrooms.
Look for: dried mushrooms in plastic baggies. May be found with LSD or marijuana. For more information on Ectasy and other Club Drugs, click here
Hide Away Containers
People involved in the use or distribution of illegal substances often use hide away containers. The photograph provided on the
right is a example of the kind of things you may encounter. Things are not always as they appear.
The Boise Police Department would also like to offer the following resources;
Boise Police Vice/Narcotics Unit
Project GHB drug education resource
PAYADA (Parents And Youth Against Drug Abuse)
Boise Police Drug Recognition Experts