Cocaine

Cocaine is a stimulant drug made from the leaves of the coca plant. It comes in a white powder. It speeds up the messages from your brain to your body and increases your heart and breathing rate. It’s mostly snorted but it can be injected.

OTHER NAMES:

Coke, C, crack, nose candy, snow, white lady, toot, Charlie, blow, white dust, pebbles and stardust.

DURATION

The effects last from 45 minutes to an hour and a half.

FACTS TO KNOW:

• The effects of cocaine include alertness, feelings of wellbeing and euphoria, and enthusiastic talking.
• Cocaine can also cause a loss of appetite and over-confidence which sometimes leads to risk-taking.
• The high from cocaine is felt almost immediately and doesn’t last long, but the comedown can last days.

DURATION:

• You will feel the effects immediately if injected, and in as quick as 1 minute if snorted.
• You might feel the effects for only 5 – 10 minutes when smoked or injected, or for 30 minutes if snorted (a less intense high)
• Onset is longer, around 10 -30 minutes, if swallowed or rubbed onto gums as the drug has to be digested first. When consumed this way, the effects are also slower and can last for up to 90minutes
• In the context of testing: Cocaine may stick around in your urine for 2-3 days, and around 1 – 2 days in saliva & blood  

STAYING AS SAFE AS YOU CAN:

• Avoid mixing with other drugs especially alcohol
• If you have alcohol with cocaine, it can produce a third chemical called cocaethylene, which is really bad for your heart and can even cause a heart attack (watch this video)
• Take regular breaks from using
• If injecting, use safe injecting practices
• Drink water
• Plan for the comedown
• Have ‘safe’ people to call in case of feelings of paranoia or panic
• If you have too much cocaine (overdose) you may experience vomiting, tremors, irregular breathing, agitation or panic. An ambulance should be called if anything like this happens.

This is only a little bit of information check out Harm Reduction Victoria’s fact sheet that has heaps more info.

Or there’s this article from the Australian Drug Foundation in collaboration with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander service providers that has more information about cocaine.