Cocaine

Cocaine

What is it?

Cocaine hydrochloride is white, crystalline powder derived from coca leaves. In contrast, cocaine base (crack) looks like small, irregularly shaped white rocks.

Street Names

Blow, Coca, Coke, Crack, Flake, Snow, Soda Cot

How is it used?

  • Snorted
  • Dissolved in water and injected
  • Crack cocaine is smoked
  • Cocaine users usually binge on the drug until they are exhausted or run out of cocaine.

Paraphernalia

Cooking heroin on spoon

Small spoon
Needle

Needle
Rolled up dollar bill used as straw

Straw or tube
Pipe

Pipe

How does it affect the body?

  • Smoking or injection creates an intense euphoric “rush”
  • Tolerance builds quickly, easy to overdose
  • Increased blood pressure and heart rate
  • Cardiac arrest, irregular heartbeat, ischemic heart conditions, sudden cardiac arrest, convulsions
  • Restlessness, irritability, anxiety, paranoia
  • Insomnia, loss of appetite
  • Stroke or death
  • The crash that follows a high is mental and physical exhaustion, sleep, and depression lasting several days. Following the crash, users crave cocaine again.

READ MORE ABOUT COCAINE