Key Terms

B

Benzodiazepines – A group of prescription medications that can relieve stress and anxiety, and aid sleep. Some find benzodiazepines relaxing in their effects, but effects vary from person to person and depend on the context of consumption. Benzodiazepines are legal in Australia if prescribed or administered by a doctor. It is illegal to take benzodiazepines without a prescription, or to give or sell them to other people.

Biodone^® (methadone) – see ‘Methadone’.

Buprenorphine – A prescription opioid medication that can be prescribed for pain and as an opioid pharmacotherapy treatment (buprenorphine maintenance treatment or BMT); see ‘Opioid pharmacotherapy treatment’. Buprenorphine maintenance treatment can prevent opioid withdrawal and help people cut down or stop taking other opioids. Subutex^® is the brand name of buprenorphine available as a sublingual tablet. Buprenorphine is also available in combination with naloxone; see ‘Suboxone^®’. Buprenorphine is legal in Australia if prescribed or administered by a doctor. It is illegal to take buprenorphine without a prescription, or to give or sell it to other people.

C

Campral^® (acamprosate) – A medication used to help people stop drinking alcohol.

Cannabis –  A drug derived from the cannabis sativa plant. Its active ingredient is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). Cannabis can have a relaxing effect and relieve pain, but effects vary from person to person and depend on the context of consumption. It is illegal to possess or sell cannabis in Australia.

Cocaine – Sometimes called a ‘party drug’, cocaine can have a stimulant effect, but effects vary from person to person and depend on the context of consumption. It is illegal to possess or sell cocaine in Australia.

Crystal methamphetamine – See ‘Ice’.

D

Dimethyltryptamine or DMT – Considered part of a group of drugs sometimes called ‘hallucinogens’ or ‘psychedelics’. DMT can produce hallucinations, but its effects vary from person to person and depend on the context of consumption. It is illegal to possess or sell DMT in Australia.

E

Ecstasy – Sometimes called a ‘party drug’, ecstasy varies in chemical makeup but may contain MDMA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine). Ecstasy can have stimulant and euphoric effects, but its effects vary from person to person and depend on the context of consumption. It is illegal to possess or sell ecstasy in Australia.

Endone^® (oxycodone) – See ‘Oxycodone’.

F

Fentanyl – A prescription opioid medication for pain that is delivered via a patch applied to the skin. It can relieve acute pain and have a sedative effect, but effects vary from person to person and depend on the context of consumption. Fentanyl is legal in Australia if prescribed or administered by a doctor. It is illegal to take it without a prescription, or to give or sell it to other people.

G

GHB (gammahydroxybutyrate) – Sometimes called a ‘party drug’, GHB can have sedative and euphoric effects, but effects vary from person to person and depend on the context of consumption. It is illegal to possess or sell GHB in Australia.

H

Heroin – An opioid drug that can have relaxing effects and relieve pain, but effects vary from person to person and depend on the context of consumption. Prescription heroin is also called diamorphine and is legal in Australia if prescribed or administered by a doctor for pain management. It is illegal to take diamorphine without a prescription, or other forms of heroin, or to give or sell it to other people.

I

Ice (crystalline methamphetamine) – A drug that can have stimulant effects, but effects vary from person to person and depend on the context of consumption. It is illegal to possess or sell ice in Australia.

K

Ketamine – A prescription medication used by medical practitioners and veterinarians as an anaesthetic. It can have relaxing effects and produce hallucinations, but effects vary from person to person and depend on the context of consumption. Ketamine is legal in Australia if prescribed or administered by a doctor. It is illegal to take it without a prescription, or to give or sell it to other people.

L

LSD (lysergic acid diethymlamide) – Also known as ‘acid’ or ‘trips’, LSD can produce hallucinations, but its effects vary from person to person and depend on the context of consumption. It is illegal to possess or sell LSD in Australia.

M

Marijuana – See ‘Cannabis’.

MDMA (Methylenedioxymethamphetamine) – Sometimes called a ‘party drug’, MDMA can have stimulant and euphoric effects, but effects vary from person to person and depend on the context of consumption. It is illegal to possess or sell MDMA in Australia.

Methadone (Biodone^®) – A prescription opioid medication that can be prescribed for pain and as an opioid pharmacotherapy treatment (methadone maintenance treatment or MMT); see ‘Opioid pharmacotherapy treatment’. Methadone maintenance treatment can prevent opioid withdrawal and help people cut down or stop taking other opioids. Available as a syrup, methadone can have sedative effects and relieve pain, but effects vary from person to person and depend on the context of consumption. Methadone is legal in Australia if prescribed or administered by a doctor. It is illegal to take methadone without a prescription, or to give or sell it to other people.

Morphine – A prescription opioid medication. It can relieve acute pain and have sedative effects, but effects vary from person to person and depend on the context of consumption. Morphine is legal in Australia if prescribed or administered by a doctor. It is illegal to take it without a prescription, or to give or sell it to other people.

N

Naloxone – An injectable over-the-counter medication designed to reverse the effects of opioids. It is also combined with buprenorphine in the opioid pharmacotherapy treatment Suboxone^®; see ‘Opioid pharmacotherapy treatment’ and ‘Suboxone^®’.

Naltrexone – A prescription opioid medication that may block the effects of opioids. Oral naltrexone (in tablet form) is registered and approved for use in the treatment of alcohol dependence. Naltrexone can also be administered via an implant or an injection. Treatment with naltrexone implants or injections is not currently approved in Australia and is only available through the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) special access scheme.

O

Opioid pharmacotherapy treatment (OPT) – A medication-based treatment for opioid dependence where the preferred opioid is replaced with a legally prescribed and dispensed opioid. It can prevent opioid withdrawal and help people cut down or stop taking other opioids. The three main opioid pharmacotherapy medications currently used in Australia are methadone (Biodone^®) syrup, buprenorphine (Subutex^®) sublingual tablets and combination buprenorphine and naloxone (Suboxone^®) sublingual film; see ‘Methadone’, ‘Buprenorphine’ and ‘Suboxone^®’. Pharmacotherapy for people diagnosed with opioid dependence goes by several different names: Opioid Pharmacotherapy Treatment (OPT – used on this website), Opioid Replacement Therapy/Treatment (ORT), Opioid Pharmacotherapy Program (OPP) or Opioid Substitution Therapy/Treatment (OST). The term ‘medication-assisted treatment of opioid dependence’ (MATOD) refers to treatments for opioid dependence that combine medication (pharmacotherapy) with access to counselling and health and social services.

Oxycodone (OxyContin^®) – A prescription opioid medication. It can relieve pain and have sedative effects, but effects vary from person to person and depend on the context of consumption. Oxycodone is legal in Australia if prescribed or administered by a doctor. It is illegal to take it without a prescription, or to give or sell it to other people.

P

Pharmacotherapy – See ‘Opioid pharmacotherapy treatment’.

Poppers (alkyl nitrite inhalants) – A group of drugs that includes butyl nitrite, isopropyl nitrite, isobutyl nitrite and amyl nitrite. They can have muscle-relaxing and euphoric effects, but effects vary from person to person and depend on the context of consumption. Some alkyl nitrites are legal and others are illegal to possess or sell in Australia.

S

Speed (amphetamine sulphate or powder methamphetamine) – A drug that can have a stimulant effect, but effects vary from person to person and depend on the context of consumption. Before the late 1990s, amphetamine sulphate was the more widely available type of amphetamine. Since around 2000, methamphetamine has become more common. It is illegal to possess or sell speed in Australia.

Suboxone^® (buprenorphine and naloxone) – A prescription opioid medication consisting of buprenorphine and naloxone that can be prescribed for pain and as an opioid pharmacotherapy treatment; see ‘Opioid pharmacotherapy treatment’. Combination buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone^®) is a sublingual film designed to be absorbed under the tongue, but can produce withdrawal effects if injected. The addition of naloxone to buprenorphine was intended to discourage the injecting of opioid pharmacotherapy medication. Suboxone^® is legal in Australia if prescribed or administered by a doctor. It is illegal to take it without a prescription, or to give or sell it to other people.

Subutex^® (buprenorphine) – See ‘Buprenorphine’.

V

Valium^® (diazepam) – A prescription benzodiazepine medication considered to have sedative effects; see ‘Benzodiazepines’.

X

Xanax^® (alprazolam) – A prescription benzodiazepine medication considered to have sedative effects; see ‘Benzodiazepines’.