There are a number of different reasons why you might need help with pill identification. Maybe you misplaced a drug label or forgot what the pills in your weekly pillbox are. Perhaps you found some pills in your loved one’s pocket while doing the laundry, and you’re worried they might be misusing them. Show Considering the epidemic of prescription drug misuse and addiction and an uptick in deaths due to overdoses around the United States, you may be right to be concerned. What's more, older and younger age groups could be the most at risk of misusing prescription drugs. Whatever your reason, knowing what some common substances look like can help you determine what the pills in question might be. However, even if you think you’ve successfully identified them, never take pills without being absolutely certain of what they are. Commonly Misused PillsAccording to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), commonly misused classes of prescription drugs include:
More specifically, the most commonly misused prescription drugs by brand and generic name include:
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) offers an informative guide called Drugs of Abuse that can tell you more about some of these drugs. In it, the DEA covers the most commonly abused drugs in the United States. It includes images that could help you identify the pill, common street names, and information on how the drug affects the body. Commonly Misused Prescription Drugs How to Identify Common PillsBy law, every pill, tablet, or capsule approved by the FDA must be unique to make identifying each pill easier. Here are the different characteristics to look for:
To identify a pill, you can go online and look for pill identification tools. For example, Poison Control Centers have a pill identifier that may help. The DEA also has images of drugs available on their website. If an online pill identification tool does not produce any results, double-check the imprint. You might need to use a magnifying glass on very small pills to distinguish the letters and numbers. If you're having trouble identifying the pills, you can always take them to your local pharmacist, who may be able to help you. Finally, you can even try reaching out directly to the FDA's Division of Drug Information with a description of your pill and ask them to help you identify it. If you can't identify the pill by any of these means, it may not be FDA-approved and could be an illegal or counterfeit drug or alternative remedy. Pill IdentificationThe below information can help you identify just some of the most commonly misused pills. Since these pills can come from a variety of manufacturers and appear differently, these descriptions are only rough guides. AdderallOne small, round, blue pill that you might find is Adderall. It has the marking "AD" on one side and the number "10" on the other. Some people might take Adderall without a prescription to help them concentrate and to do better at school or work. Others take it to get high. Adderall pills can either be swallowed or ground up and snorted for a quicker effect. Signs of Adderall Overdose DilaudidDilaudid is an opioid that is often mixed with alcohol and/or benzodiazepines, a type of CNS depressant, to get a "better high." The small tablets can be orange (for the 2-milligram dosage), yellow (4 milligrams), or white (8 milligrams), and imprinted with the manufacturer's name. Pills can be round or triangular in shape. Dilaudid also comes in liquid form. What Are Opiates? DXMA round, red pill with the markings "C C + C" (for Coricidin HBP Cough & Cold Tablets) might be a pill you come across. There are many similar pills, but only one has those markings. Although it is just a cold and cough medication, teenagers and young adults in particular misuse the dextromethorphan (also called DXM) contained in these little red pills. Coricidin HBP Cough and Cold is also known as "triple C" in the illicit drug market. In addition to dextromethorphan, this cold medication also contains an antihistamine. Taken in higher-than-recommended doses, it can produce a quick high, hallucinations, and/or dissociation. Deaths from kids misusing DXM and Coricidin have been reported. RitalinRitalin, also known as methylphenidate, is a stimulant drug that is about the size and shape of aspirin. The small pills can be pale yellow (5 milligrams), pale green (10 milligrams), or both white and yellow (20 milligrams), and are stamped with the manufacturer's name, Ciba. Like Adderall, Ritalin is often misused to improve productivity and performance at work or school. How Ritalin Can Be Addictive XanaxXanax is one of a group of addictive prescription medications known as benzodiazepines. It comes in a variety of shapes and colors and is imprinted with the manufacturer's name and strength including:
People often think prescription drugs like Xanax are safer than illicit street drugs, but these medications can be very dangerous—especially when mixed with painkillers or alcohol. In fact, 16% of overdoses involving opioids also involved benzodiazepines in 2019, according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse. VicodinThese white, oblong pills imprinted with the manufacturer name on one side and strength on the other side are one of the most commonly misused prescription painkillers. Vicodin can suppress a person's breathing, which can be life-threatening. OxyContinLike Vicodin, OxyContin is another opioid that can produce similar effects as heroin. They can come in round tablets and a few different colors, depending on the strength: white (10 milligrams), gray (15 milligrams), pink (20 milligrams), brown (30 milligrams), yellow (40 milligrams), red (60 milligrams), and green (80 milligrams). Signs of Drug AbuseIn addition to finding unknown pills, there are also some signs to watch out for that may indicate someone you know may be abusing prescription or illegal drugs. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), there are a range of short- and long-term health consequences for misuse of these categories of prescription drugs:
Symptoms of Addiction SafetyTo help prevent prescription drug abuse, there are some things you should and shouldn't do according to NIDA:
Also, remember to discuss any past substance misuse with your doctor before taking a new medication. What to Do NextIf you're concerned a friend or loved one might be misusing pills, sharing what you found and conveying your concerns in a non-judgmental way could be a good place to start. You can also offer to help them schedule an appointment with a mental health professional. If the loved one in question is your teenager and you're worried approaching them won't go well, you can always ask someone else they trust and respect to step in. You could also raise your concerns with your pediatrician or a child psychologist, and they can bring up the subject during the appointment. If you or a loved one are struggling with substance use or addiction, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area. For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database. A Word From VerywellWhile there are pill identification resources online, remember to never take a pill without knowing what it is. While the list here might help you get started, there are many more pills out there that you may need help identifying. In the case that you are still stuck, your local pharmacist might be able to help you. If you're concerned about a friend or loved one's possible prescription or illicit drug use, go ahead and talk to them, but be prepared for resistance. Can pills have no markings?What if a pill has no markings? If there are no markings on a pill, it may not be an FDA-approved drug. Obviously, you should avoid taking any unidentified drug, especially if an online pill tracker cannot identify it. In this case, proper disposal methods should be followed to safely get rid of unknown pills.
How do I identify a pill without markings?All prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs in the U.S. are required by the FDA to have an imprint code. If your pill has no imprint it could be a vitamin, diet, herbal, or energy pill, or an illicit or foreign drug. It is not possible to accurately identify a pill online without an imprint code.
How do you know if medicine is original?How To Check and Identify Fake Medicines. Spelling errors. Misspellings of the product name, manufacturer, or main ingredients on medicine bottle labels or other packaging are the biggest, and some of the most noticeable, mistakes.. Medication appearance. ... . Medication quality. ... . Compromised packaging.. How are pills marked?An imprint code consists of alphanumeric text which is embossed, debossed, engraved or printed onto solid oral dosage forms although pills may also have other identifying markings, such as trademark letters, marks, symbols, internal and external cut outs.
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Do pills have to have markings?
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