wings, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

wings n.

also whings

[one becomes high adj.¹ but also play on US Air Force/RAF jargon get one’s wings, to be commissioned as a pilot]

(US drugs) any powdered narcotic.

1928		‘Words Used in Drug Traffic’ in Dialect Notes V 182: Cocaine. Wings – Obviously so-named because of the narcotic effect of the drug.
1931		Irwin Amer. Tramp and Und. Sl. 195: Wings.–Cocaine, from the sense of lightness it gives the addict.
1949		Monteleone Criminal Sl. (rev. edn).
1953		Anslinger & Tompkins Traffic In Narcotics 316: Wings [...] Cocaine, morphine, or heroin.
1969		R.R. Lingeman Drugs from A to Z (1970) 249: wings (1) the first mainline shot. (2) learning how to take narcotics in this way.
2001		ONDCP Street Terms 22: Wings — Cocaine; heroin.
2016		Jeezy ‘Recipe’ 🎵 This for my niggas movin’ wings.

get one’s wings (v.)

(drugs) to start using heroin.

1960		C. Cooper Jr Scene (1996) 157: I got my wings and bought a Cadillac, and it’s paid for.
1972		E. Grogan Ringolevio 40: He had given himself his wings – his first mainline fix.
1993		E. Richards Cocaine True 73: I had my wings.

give someone wings (v.)

(drugs) to inject someone or teach someone to inject heroin.

a.1955		‘King Heroin II’ in D. Wepman et al. Life (1976) 171: He gave me my wings, that dirty rat fuck — / He thought he was slick, only charging a buck.
1965		J. Mills Drug Takers in Lingeman (1969) n.p.: He gave me my wings – my first mainline shot.
1972		E. Grogan Ringolevio 43: Lenny gave me my wings.
1993		E. Richards Cocaine True 73: Getting someone onto heroin is called ‘giving them their wings.’.
2001		ONDCP Street Terms 10: Give wings — Inject someone or teach someone to inject heroin.