The legalization of drugs is a hot topic in the U.S.and many Latin American countries. Costa Rican newspapers frequently run stories about drug busts and occasional articles on making marijuana legal for medical purpose.
Interestingly, a dictionary with thirty-two thousand drug terms will be published next year in Mexico. So, the vocabulary below is just the tip of the iceberg.
- Allanamiento – a drug raid
- Andar hasta las narices – one of the million ways of saying that one is drunk or stoned in Spanish
- Boleta – paper used for rolling marijuana cigarette
- Búnker – a fortified structure where drugs are sold on a small scale
- Desarticular una banda – to break up a drug ring
- Desintoxicación – withdrawl from drugs
- Garrotazo – This word literally means a blow with a club (garrote). In slang to have to pay a large bill or a lot of money.
- Hierba – this word literally means grass but is also marijuana
- Loquera – craziness. The correct Spanish word is locura.
- Maricucha – marijuana
- Marijuana hidropónica – marijuana which is grown in water to increase the potency. Lately, this term has appeared in local newspapers since the police have raided several homes where pot is grown this way.
- Mota – marijuana
- Mula – literally means mule but can refer to a four by four vehicle, a large woman (insulting) or a drug courier.
- Nacrcomenudeo – small time drug dealing
- Narguila – a water pipe
- Operativo – a police operation
- Pegarse un pericazo – to snort cocaine
- Perico – slang for cocaine
- Picadura – loose marijuana
- Piedra – crack cocaine
- Puro – a marijuana cigarette
- Marijuana medicinal – medical marijuana
- Marijuana recreativa – recreational marijuana
- Queso – literally means cheese but is slang for cocaine
- (una) Sobredosis – an overdose
- Tócola – the butt of a marijuana cigarette. La colilla is the correct word.
- Tostado/a – stoned on pot
- Trabado/a – to be so drunk or stoned that you cannot open your mouth
- Vaporizador – vaporizer or a device used to smoke marijuana
