Cocaine is a highly addictive stimulant of the central nervous system and an appetite suppressant. It provides increased energy and a euphoric sense of wellbeing.
Cocaine commonly comes in the form of a white odourless powder called cocaine hydrochloride (HCI). This is the pure form of cocaine that has a pearl-colouredappearance and a bitter numbing taste. The powder is extracted from the leaves of the coca bush found. Various chemicals are used to develop the different types of cocaine.
Historically, cocaine was used as a painkiller in dentistry and for surgical operations on eyes and throats.
There are several forms of cocaine, each with differing modes of administration:
Slang
Coke, C, Charlie, Snow, Crack, Rock, Freebase, Nose candy, Dust, Toot, White lady
Short term effects
Cocaine’s effects can last from 20 minutes to several hours depending on the dosage, method of administration and purity. Common initial signs are an intense sense of euphoria, hyperactivity, restlessness and increased blood pressure and heart rate.
The initial rush commonly wears off fast and is usually followed by feelings of discomfort, depression and a craving to experience the drug again. Side effects from these feelings include twitching, paranoia and impotence which usually increases with frequent use.
The immediate craving to use more cocaine is strong, because euphoric effects often subside within an hour of the last dosage. When administration stops after binge use, it is usually followed by a ‘crash’, or the onset of a state of restlessness and anxiety, with escalating exhaustion until sleep is achieved.
Cocaine causes heat loss and cocaine induced hyperthermia has been known to occur. This may cause muscle cell destruction and can ultimately result in renal failure.
Cocaine is generally detectable in urine for two to three days after use, although long time habitual users may have traces of cocaine in their system for longer.
Long-term effects
Long-term use has multiple physical and psychological health consequences. It is associated with a lifetime risk of heart attack that is seven times that of non-users.
With excessive use and dosage the drug can produce:
Tolerance develops after excessive use over long periods leading the user to require larger doses to achieve desired effects and heightening the risk of developing negative health consequences.
Smoking cocaine long-term can result in chest pains, lung trauma, shortness of breath, sore throat, and aching flu like symptoms.
Snorting as a mode of administration degrades the cartilage separating the nostrils which can cause it eventually to disappear.
Long-term injection use can result in blood vessels becoming blocked by substances mixed with cocaine, collapsed veins, tetanus, abscesses, and damage to the lungs, heart, liver and brain. Nose bleeds can also occur with excessive use.
The high from cocaine can be intensely rewarding but the experience is very short lived. The euphoria initially experienced produces an intense craving which can develop quickly into an addiction. Addiction rates are high for smoking and much higher for injecting.
Many dependent users develop a transient manic like condition similar to amphetamine psychosis and schizophrenia. Symptoms of this include aggression, severe paranoia, tactile hallucinations as well as feelings of insects crawling under the skin.
Because cocaine is a highly addictive substance with shorted lived effects, users sometimes go on binge sessions resulting in overdose. Overdoses can lead to rapid heartbeat, raised blood pressure, heart attack, seizures, kidney failure, stroke and repeated convulsions. Death may result. There is no specific antidote for cocaine overdose.
Withdrawal symptoms occur when a dependent user decides to stop use or significantly cuts down the amount they are using. Cocaine withdrawal commonly occurs in three phases:
1. 'Crash': occurs immediately after the person stops using cocaine and especially after a cocaine binge session. Symptoms include:
2. Withdrawal: depending on individual history of use, this can last up to ten weeks. Symptoms include
3. Extinction: Even after withdrawal symptoms have ceased, sporadic cravings for cocaine may surface months or years after the user has ceased using cocaine.
Cocaine is illegal in New Zealand and is classified as a Class A drug scheduled under the Misuse of Drugs Act. This means it attracts the highest penalties possible for manufacture, sale and use.
Manufacturing, importing, supply or dealing cocaine can attract a maximum sentence of life in jail. Conspiracy to commit an offence or to manufacture, import or supply can attract up to 14 years imprisonment. Possession of cocaine can attract up to 6 months imprisonment and/or a $1000 fine.
The cocaine market in New Zealand is not big and has rarely been the focus of media attention or the cause of a significant number of hospital admissions in recent years. The cocaine market has remained stable with high prices and low availability.
Recent surveys indicate that:
The Drug Foundation’s message is clear: no drug use is the safest drug use. But we realise there will be occasions when people ignore warnings and use drugs. In order to limit the harm from their drug use, we provide information about effective methods of drug harm minimisation. Such information directly benefits the person using drugs, and also protects the wider community.
Because cocaine is a highly addictive drug, and the initial effects of euphoria wear off quickly, it is important that users do not feed their cravings by repeating cocaine use (bingeing) to achieve the desired effect. It is very common for cocaine bingeing to lead to addiction. Possessing excessive amounts of cocaine at one time can help feed bingeing behaviour.
Injecting users should always use clean needles and return used needles to a needle exchange service. This will help prevent blood-borne diseases such as HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis.
Studies show that shared straws (used for sniffing) can cause the spread of blood borne diseases such as HIV, Hepatitis as a result of residual of blood and mucus left on the straw.
There are a number of treatment organisations that can help. If you feel that you or anyone you know needs help, then you can call these services in strict confidence.
If you are faced with an emergency, call 111 immediately.
To talk to someone about your or someone else’s drug use, call the Alcohol Drug Helpline - 0800 787 797
You can also get contact details for your local alcohol and other drug counsellor or treatment provider by calling the helpline or by visiting www.addictionshelp.org.nz.
www.shore.ac.nz/publications/publications_8.html A report from Shore Drug Use in New Zealand National Surveys Comparison 1998 & 2001.
www.erowid.org/chemicals/cocaine/cocaine.shtml . The cocaine resource page hosted by erowid, a website offering chemical, health, media and user-experience information.
www.druginfo.adf.org.au. Australian Drug info clearinghouse.
www.cocaine.org/process.html The big bang: What is crack cocaine?