| Combination | Desired Effect |
| Heroin plus alcohol | Enhance a "high" or create euphoria |
| Heroin followed by alcohol | Self-medicate narcotic withdrawal symptoms |
| Heroin plus cocaine | "Speedball": enhance or alter cocaine "high" or euphoria |
| Heroin followed by cocaine | Medicate narcotic withdrawal or mitigate cocaine "nerves" (overstimulation) |
| Cocaine plus alcohol | Enhance "high"; modulate overstimulation |
| Cocaine followed by alcohol | Medicate cocaine anxiety, nervousness; modulate the "crash" (parachute) |
| Cocaine followed by heroin | Medicate overstimulation; modulate the crash (parachute) |
| Methadone plus alcohol | Create a high; accelerates metabolism |
| Methadone plus cocaine | Modulate the anxiety and nervousness that is frequent with cocaine use; parachute effect of crash |
| Methadone plus "benzos" (e.g., Valium) | Create a high; "boost" the methadone |