Parents, teachers, caregivers, and other authority figures have an additional tool available to help detect and crack down on illegal drug use.

The Drug Enforcement Agency recently released “Emoji Drug Code: Decoded,” a guide that provides some of the common symbols people may use to discuss and possibly buy or sell illegal narcotics.

In this blog, we will look at the following:

What is the “emoji drug code,” and how is it being used?
Dangers of recreational drug use due to fentanyl prevalence
What parents, caregivers, and friends can do
Examples of emojis used to represent drugs

What is the “Emoji Drug Code”? How is it Being Used?

By using symbols instead of words in texts or emails, people can try to conceal details of their conversations from general surveillance or get around filters that look for certain keywords. They also may be able to hide their conversations from parents and others who might recognize words like cocaine or marijuana but may not fully understand the context of seeing a diamond or a snowflake.

The coded emojis may also be used by illegal eCommerce sites, which make it easy for people to shop on their smartphones and mobile devices.

The Emoji Drug Code also includes references to household products that are known to be abused, such as cough syrup, as well as legitimate and false prescription drugs that are bought and sold, such as Xanax or Oxycodone.

This code also shares common symbols that can be used to describe a particular illegal substance, such as high potency or a large batch. Combining several emojis for drugs together can even give someone even more details about an upcoming transaction.

Dangers of Recreational Drug Use Due to the Prevalence of Fentanyl

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) officials are especially concerned this year due to an increase in products with fentanyl added to them. This dangerous opiate can increase the potency of whatever it is added to. This has contributed to a significant increase in overdoses and deaths.

What Parents, Caregivers, and Friends Can Do

The DEA said that seeing these emojis by themselves doesn’t automatically mean drugs are being discussed since many of them are pretty common in many different contexts. But knowing how to understand the emoji decoder could also cause parents and others to increase their suspicion and look for other clues, such as changes in behavior and appearance.

Examples of Emojis Used to Represent Drugs

Some of the items on the list include:

Percocet/Oxycodone: 💊, 🔵, 🅿️, 🍌
Xanax: 💊, 🍫, 🚃
Adderall: 💊, A-🚆
Meth: 🔮, 💙, 💎, 🧪
Heroin: 🤎, 🐉
Cocaine: ❄️, 🌨️, ☃️, 🎱, 🔑, 😛, 🐡
MDMA & Molly: ❤️, ⚡, ❌, 💊, 🍬
Mushrooms: 🍄
Cough Syrup: 🍇, 💜, 🍼
Marijuana: 💨, 🔥, 🌴, 🌲, 😮‍💨, ☘️

Other related emojis in the drug emojis code can include dollar signs (🤑, 💰, 💲, 💵) for special deals, rockets and explosives (🚀, 💣, 💥) to designate extra potency, cookies (🍪) for a large batch, and a maple leaf (🍁) to indicate general drugs emoji.

The DEA points out that these are common emojis they’ve run across, but there are others out there not on the list, including crack pipe emoji or ecstasy emoji.

Choose Soul surgery for addiction recovery

If you believe that someone you know may be communicating about drugs, the DEA can be a resource to get them help or involve law enforcement if needed.

At Soul Surgery, we’re here for you and your loved ones. Our treatment centers in sunny Arizona offer a private and individualized program to get you back on track toward recovery. Contact us today to get started.