Overview
“Junkie” is a derogatory slang term that refers to people with substance use disorders, typically in relation to narcotic substances that were historically called “junk.”
Historical Context
In 1923, Nels Anderson published The Hobo: The Sociology of the Homeless Man in which he writes:
“The Hop Head is an interesting type. He is usually in a pitiful condition, for he has small chance, living as he does, in the tramp class, to get money to buy ‘dope.’ Frequently he resorts to clever and even desperate means to secure it. One type of dope fiend is the Junkie. He uses a ‘gun’ or needle to inject morphine or heroin. A Sniffer is one who sniffs cocaine.”
This is one of the earliest appearances of the word “junkie” in reference to substance use. It entered the mainstream public lexicon through William S. Burroughs’ semi-autobiographical novel Junky in 1953. As time went on, it became a suffix that generally refers to hardcore enthusiasts, like “news junkie” in reference to people who are always keeping up with headlines or “adrenaline junkie” in reference to people who are risk-seekers and court thrilling adventures.