An opiate is any drug made from the opium poppy plant. Most opiates are drugs used for mild to severe pain. Drugs like oxycodones, percocets, morphine, codeine, are all opiates. The street drug heroin is an opiate also. There are different methods of taking opiate drugs, such as digesting orally, intranasal (snorting), intavenous (shooting into vein), and even smoking. Opiates tend to make a person drowsy and have slowed reflexes. The "high" most addicts are looking for will make them nod out, or go into a state of euphoria where their eyes are closed and they become detached from their surroundings.