Health effects

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:

• hallucinations and paranoid delusions,
• erratic heartbeat, itching, and psychosis.
• paranoia, nausea and vomiting
• loss of concentration and coordination
• loss of interest in sex,
• loss of ambition and motivation.

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.