Cocaine

www.druginfo.adf.org.au
AKA (common names)

C, coke, nose candy, snow, white lady, toot, Charlie, blow, white dust and stardust

Freebase is known as “base”, and crack is referred to as “rock” or “wash”.

Low - moderate doses
  • immediate “rush” feeling
  • euphoria
  • feelings of invincibility
  • a sense of wellbeing
  • increased talkativeness or quiet contemplation and rapture
  • increased confidence and a feeling of invincibility
  • feelings of great physical strength and mental capacity
  • increased libido
  • feling more awake, reduced need for sleep
  • increased performance on simple tasks
High doses
  • A high dose of cocaine can cause an individual to overdose.
  • This means that a person has used more cocaine than their body can cope with.
  • The risk of overdose increases if the strength or purity of the cocaine is not known.
  • Injecting cocaine increases the risk of overdose due to large amounts of the drug entering the blood stream and quickly travelling to the brain.

High doses can also result in:

  • anxiety
  • sleeping disorders
  • suspiciousness
  • paranoia
  • tremors
  • muscle twitches
  • nausea and vomiting
  • rapid and weak pulse
  • chest pain
  • seizures
  • heart attack
  • kidney failure
  • hypothermia
  • seizures and stroke
  • increased heart rate, body temperature
  • brain haemorrhage
  • stroke and convulsions
  • many of these leading to coma and death
Signs of overdose
Route of administration & onset
  • Cocaine hydrochloride is most commonly snorted.
  • It can also be injected.
  • It can be rubbed into the gums where it is absorbed into the bloodstream. It can be added to a drink or food.
  • Freebase and crack cocaine are usually smoked.

Onset

  • The effects of cocaine can last anywhere from a few minutes to a couple of hours, depending on how it is taken. When the immediate “rush” of the cocaine has worn off, the individual may experience a “crash”.
Duration of effect & 'come down' (half-life)
  • The faster the absorption the more intense and rapid the high, but the shorter the duration of action.
  • Injecting cocaine produces an effect within 15-30 seconds.
  • A hit of smoked crack produces an almost immediate intense experience and will typically produce effects lasting 5-15 minutes.
  • Similarly, snorting cocaine produces effects almost immediately and the resulting high may last 15-30 minutes.
  • The effects onset more slowly after oral ingestion (~1 hour).
  • General effects will persist for 1-2 hours depending on the dose and late phase effects following binge use may last several days.

As the effects of cocaine use begin to wear off, an individual may experience a range of effects, these include:

  • tension and anxiety
  • radical mood swings
  • depression
  • total exhaustion
Mechanism of action (on the brain)
  • Cocaine blocks the uptake of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, thereby prolonging its effects.
Tolerance (dependence) & withdrawal
  • Cocaine is a powerfully addictive drug of abuse and an appreciable initial tolerance to the euphoric high may develop.
  • They may also develop a tolerance to cocaine, which means they will need to use larger amounts to get the same effect.
  • Dependence on cocaine can be psychological, physical or both. People who are dependent crave cocaine and find it very difficult to stop using it.
  • People who are psychologically dependent on cocaine may feel an urge to use it when they are in specific situations.
  • Physical dependence occurs when a person’s body adapts to cocaine and gets used to functioning with the cocaine present.
  • The short duration of effects is one reason leading to probability of adiction. As effects wear off, more drug is frequently administered and a pattern of repeated use occurs.
  • Following binge use of cocaine, the “crash” can last from 9 hours to 4 days and may consist of:
    • agitation
    • depressed moods
    • insomnia to hypersomnolence
    • and initial drug craving.

Withdrawal

  • Withdrawal symptoms can typically last from 1-3 weeks.
  • If a dependent individual ceases using cocaine, they may experience withdrawal symptoms as they get used to functioning without the drug. The craving for cocaine can last for months after ceasing use.
  • Withdrawal symptoms may include:
    • strong cravings for cocaine
    • agitation
    • depression or anxiety
    • extreme fatigue or exhaustion
    • disturbed sleep
    • angry outbursts

 

Short-term harms & risks
  • anxiety
  • agitation
  • panic
  • paranoia
  • unpredictable violent / aggressive behaviour
  • dry mouth
  • increased body temperature
  • increased strength and energy
  • indifference to pain and localised pain relief
  • dilated pupils
  • increased blood pressure and heart rate after initial slowing
  • increased breathing rate
  • reduced appetite
Long-term harms & risks
  • High doses and frequent heavy use of cocaine can also cause “cocaine psychosis”.
  • This is characterised by paranoid delusions, hallucinations and bizarre, aggressive or violent behaviour. These symptoms usually disappear a few days after the person stops using cocaine.

Othe long-terms harms include:

  • insomnia and exhaustion
  • depression
  • anxiety
  • paranoia
  • eating disorders and weight loss
  • sexual dysfunction
  • hypertension
  • irregular heartbeat
  • sensitivity to light and sound
  • hallucinations
  • cerebral atrophy
  • impaired thinking
Further Resources
Links