The article below does not advocate the use of drugs. It is only intended to familiarize you with Costa Rican slang that you may hear on the local news or read in the Spanish newspapers.

Adicto – addict
Allanamiento or redada or operativo – a drug bust or raid
Amansalocos or calmantes or tranquilizantes – tranquilizers or a drug to calm someone down
Anfetaminas – amphetamines
Boletas – rolling papers for marijuana cigarette
Brownies – brownies with marijuana
Cajeta – high quality marijuana or buds
Colilla – the butt or roach of a marijuana cigarette
Cocinar or freir el cerebro – to fry one’s brains with drugs
Cultivo de marijuana – a marijuana farm
Depresor – anti-depressant or “downer”
Desintoxicarse – to dry out or go through withdrawl
Drogarse – to high on drugs
Drogo – drug addict
Estar enviajado – to be high on drugs or take a drug trip
Elevarse – to get high
Éxtasis – a dangerous drug colloquially know as ecstasy
Grifa – slang for marijuana
Hacerse un purillo – to smoke a joint
Heroina – heroine
Huelepega – a glue sniffer
Jalada – a toke or inhalation
Marijuana hidropónica – marijuana grown in water or hydroponically
Marijuano – a pot smoker
Mata – a bush or marijuana plant
Matadora – a roach clip in Costa Rica
Mecha – slang for marijuana
Metanfetaminas – crystal meth
Metaqualona – Quaalude
Monte – also slang for marijuana
Mota – also slang for marijuana
Moteado – stoned on pot
Motero – a pot smoker
Oler coca – to snort coke
Oxído nitroso o gas hilarante – laughing gas
Pegarle al puro – to take a hit or inhale
Pegarse un pericazo – to snort cocaine
Perico – slang for cocaine
Picadura – finely ground marijuana
Picapiedras – literally the Flintstones or a crack head
Piedra – crack cocaine
Piedrero – crack head
Pijearse – to smoke pot or get high
Psicotrópicos – drugs that affect your mood and behavior
Puchito de marijuana – a little bit of pot
Purillo – a marijuana cigarette or joint
Puro – also a marijuana cigarette
Quemado – a pot head
Quemarla – to smoke a joint or burn one
Raya or pijillazo – a line of cocaine
Tocola – the butt of a marijuana cigarette or roach
Tostado – drugged
Yierba – this word literally means grass but is slang for marijuana just like in English

Tiquismo (Costa Rican Expressions) of the week:

mover el piso – to get someone’s attention. This expression literally means to move or shake the ground.