Opioids
Pentazocine (Talwin)
Street names: Talwin, Ts (with Ritalin = 'T's and blues')
Overdose? Act now. Call emergency services — say "unresponsive, not breathing". Give naloxone for opioid-like signs. Hotlines
⚡What it does
- Mixed opioid agonist-antagonist: mild euphoria, pain relief
⚠Key risks
- Injecting crushed tablets causes severe lung and skin damage
- Can trigger withdrawal in dependent users
- Seizures in overdose, especially with tripelennamine
✚Overdose signs
- Slow breathing
- Confusion, hallucinations
- Seizures
Category comparison — Opioids
| Substance | Class | Top risks | Street price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pentazocine (Talwin) | Schedule IV | Injecting crushed tablets causes severe lung and skin damage; Can trigger withdrawal in dependent users | ~$2–$5/tablet where diverted |
| Heroin | Schedule I | Extremely addictive — physical dependence in weeks; Overdose: breathing slows or stops | ~$10–$40 per bag |
| Fentanyl | Schedule II | Respiratory depression; Addiction in days | ~$20–$40 per counterfeit pill |
| Fentanyl HCl (powder) | Schedule II / analogue prosecutions | Lab-purity powder is far stronger than street mixes; Weighing errors are fatal | ~$60–$120/gram wholesale equivalent |
| Acetylfentanyl | Schedule I | ~5–15× weaker than fentanyl but still deadly at gram-level mistakes; Frequent cause of cluster overdoses | ~$25–$60/g where found |
| Furanylfentanyl (Fu-F) | Schedule I | Linked to hundreds of fatal overdoses 2016–2018; Potency similar to fentanyl | ~$20–$50/g |
Street prices are regional estimates. Potency and cuts vary constantly.
?Frequently asked questions
What does Pentazocine (Talwin) look like?
Tablets; historically injected after crushing ('T's and blues' with tripelennamine)
What are the signs of a Pentazocine (Talwin) overdose?
Slow breathing; Confusion, hallucinations; Seizures Call emergency services immediately and give naloxone if available — it reverses opioid overdoses.
How addictive is it?
Injecting crushed tablets causes severe lung and skin damage Dependence can develop with regular use.