down, n.⁵ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

down n.⁵

[the calming, slowing down effect of the drugs]

(drugs)

1. a barbiturate.

1969		‘Groupie Gloss.’ on A. Lorber Groupies [album] Downs: pills with mental and physical depressant qualities.
1971		E. Wilson Show Business Nobody Knows 330: une Carter is also the girl who got Johnny Cash to quit taking pills: not narcotics but ‘ups and downs’—the sleepers and the stimulants.
1978		L. Kramer Faggots 301: And the Downs, keep it mellow, don’t get too excited, Downs make us feel so sexy!
1981		H. Gould Fort Apache, The Bronx 180: Acts real mean like he’s stoned on downs all the time.
1990		(con. 1930s–60s) H. Huncke Guilty of Everything (1998) 259: Sometimes I’d pick up a few downs.
1997		E. Little Another Day in Paradise 7: We [...] spent all the cash on booze and downs so we could crash.
2005		E. White My Lives 124: He was so turned off by the puddle I’d turned into on downs.

2. codeine-based cough syrup.

1981		D.E. Miller Bk of Jargon 337: downs: Barbiturates and other sedatives.
2001		ONDCP Street Terms 8: Down — Codeine cough syrup.

3. (US prison) heroin.

1992

Bentley & Corbett Prison Sl. 70: Down Heroin.

down freak (n.) (also downs freak) [-freak sfx]

(drugs) a regular user of depressant drugs.

1975		Hardy & Cull Drug Lang. and Lore.
1981		D.E. Miller Bk of Jargon 341: downs head, downs freak: A heavy user of sedatives, barbiturates, and the like; a person who inclines that way in his typical choice of drugs.
1993		G.P. Pelecanos Nick’s Trip 73: [A] sweet-natured down freak who was the store manager.
1997		(con. 1970s) G. Pelecanos King Suckerman (1998) 155: Down freak. Stays out of our way, though.

down-head (n.) [-head sfx (4)]

(drugs) a regular user of depressant drugs.

1973		N.Y. Times Bk Rev. 4 Mar. 43: Is it because speed freaks and down heads aren’t quite so prone to violent crime?
1979		D. Gram Foxes (1980) 117: God, do I hate a down head.
1981		see down freak