Opioids

Meperidine (Demerol)

Street names: Demerol, Meperidine HCl caps, Pethidine

Overdose? Act now. Call emergency services — say "unresponsive, not breathing". Give naloxone for opioid-like signs. Hotlines

⚡What it does

Also known asDemerol, Meperidine HCl caps, Pethidine

CategoryOpioids

Schedule / classSchedule II (US)

AppearanceWhite capsules (50/100 mg); clear injectable solution

Street price~$5–$20 per 100 mg capsule (rare, diverted)

Legal statusRx-only, Schedule II; felony without prescription

Last updated2026-09-12

Sources: FDA, NIDA

Substance	Class	Top risks	Street price
Meperidine (Demerol)	Schedule II	Normeperidine metabolite causes seizures with repeated dosing; Outdated — largely replaced in medicine	~$5–$20 per 100 mg capsule
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 — see our pressed pill guide.

Profiles are reviewed against NIDA/DEA/EMCDDA sources. See something off? Submit a correction — it goes straight to our editorial queue.