Cocaine: What You Need to Know

If you are concerned about or struggling with cocaine addiction or know somebody that is, this resource will help you better understand cocaine. Know more about cocaine and get help if needed.

What is Cocaine?

Cocaine is a powerfully addictive stimulant drug made from the leaves of the coca plant native to South America. Cocaine is a Schedule II drug under the Controlled Substances Act, meaning it has a high potential for abuse. Although health care providers can use it for valid medical purposes, such as local anesthesia for some surgeries, recreational cocaine use is illegal.

Know About Cocaine and Opioids

As a street drug, cocaine looks like a fine, white, crystal powder. Street dealers often mix it with things like cornstarch, talcum powder, or flour to increase profits. They may also mix it with other drugs such as the stimulant amphetamine, or synthetic opioids, including fentanyl. Adding synthetic opioids to cocaine is especially risky when people using cocaine don’t realize it contains this dangerous additive. Increasing numbers of overdose deaths among cocaine users might be related to this tampered cocaine.

Know How Cocaine Impacts the Brain

Cocaine increases levels of the natural chemical messenger dopamine in brain circuits related to the control of movement and reward. Normally, dopamine recycles back into the cell that released it, shutting off the signal between nerve cells. However, cocaine prevents dopamine from being recycled, causing large amounts to build up in the space between two nerve cells, stopping their normal communication. This flood of dopamine in the brain’s reward circuit strongly reinforces drug-taking behaviors because the reward circuit eventually adapts to the excess of dopamine caused by cocaine, and becomes less sensitive to it. As a result, people take stronger and more frequent doses in an attempt to feel the same high, and to obtain relief from withdrawal.

Know the Short-Term Health Effects of Cocaine Use

Hypersensitivity to sight, sound, and touch
Irritability
Paranoia—extreme and unreasonable distrust of others

Know the Long-Term Health Effects of Cocaine Use

Some long-term health effects of cocaine depend on the method of use and include the following:

Snorting: loss of smell, nosebleeds, frequent runny nose, and problems with swallowing
Smoking: cough, asthma, respiratory distress, and higher risk of infections like pneumonia
Consuming by mouth: severe bowel decay from reduced blood flow
Needle injection: higher risk for contracting HIV, hepatitis C, and other blood borne diseases, skin or soft tissue infections, as well as scarring or collapsed veins