Cocaine

What is cocaine?

Cocaine is a white crystalline powder that acts as a stimulant. The active substance of cocaine is cocaine hydrochloride (cocaine HCl). It is obtained from leaves from the coca plant. Other names for cocaine include coke, charlie, blow, snow, nose candy, flake and white.

Cocaine hydrochloride can be made into freebase cocaine when, for example, sodium bicarbonate or ammonia are added. This substance becomes cooked coke (freebase), crack, rock, pure coke or simply white.

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Effects

Cocaine is a stimulating substance.

The effect of a drug is determined by properties of the drug itself, but also by the set and setting of the user. Here we describe the effects that cocaine generally has.

When using cocaine, users generally feel more energetic, more confident and ‘on top of the world’. You can talk more easily and connect with others more quickly. Cocaine increases alertness, mood and it causes a pleasant euphoria. At low doses it can be erotically stimulating. In women and small people, the effects and side effects may be stronger.

The effects of crack/basecoke are similar to those of coke but a lot more intense, intense and shorter. When it wears off, the craving for the next dose is very strong. This makes the risk of loss of control and addiction very high.

Positive effects	(negative) Side effects
Easier talking and social contact Inhibitions that you might normally experience in social contact may be less present. For example, while drinking alcohol at a party, it may be easier to approach someone or connect with other people.	Paranoia and delusions Anxiety, paranoia and delusions (e.g. the idea that people are talking about you).
Cheerful, happy, euphoric feelings You feel energetic and comfortable in your own skin. This is often accompanied by cheerfulness and happiness.	Increase in blood pressure and heart rate Due to increased cardiac stimulation, heart rate and blood pressure rise.
Increase in concentration Your attention span may be longer or better than normal. Where you might normally be easily distracted, you can now keep your concentration for a long time on, for example, your hobby, conversations or other chores.	Dilated pupils Due to an increased noradrenaline level in the body after taking certain drugs, the pupils become larger. The pupil size is influenced by many different processes. Increase in noradrenaline plays a role in some of those processes.
Increase in self-confidence You feel more confident. It may be easier to ignore the opinions of others, and you will feel less self-conscious about yourself and your own actions.	Muscle cramps and muscle pain Muscle cramps and muscle pain
Alertness This drug can make you more active than usual. You are feeling sharp, awkae and it is easy to focus your attention on the things that are happening around you.	Increased sweating In response to the increased stimulation and changes in body temperature, the skin will start to secrete sweat to cool the body temperature back to normal levels.
Sexually stimulating Certain drugs can cause you to experience an enhanced sexual arousal. You feel more attracted to your partner or to others. For example, kissing can be extra pleasant and this experience can feel more intense than usual.	Dizziness The feeling that someone is spinning, or that the world is spinning around someone. This impairs balance.
Energetic feeling You have feelings of being energized. Sitting still is sometimes more difficult and this energetic feeling is often expressed through the urge to dance or move.	Nausea/vomiting An uneasy and tense feeling in the abdomen, which may cause discomfort. Nausea often precedes vomiting.
	Teeth grinding Grinding your teeth
	Head ache Head ache
	Agression Some drugs can make you more aggressive.

Check out this short animation from the BBC documentary ‘How Drugs Work’ (in English) about the effects of cocaine in your brain.

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Dosage and method of use

Coke is almost always snorted. However, it can also be injected.

Cocaine is also sometimes smoked in a cigarette. This is called a “plofje’’ in Dutch. This is not effective however. Because cocaine does not heat well, only a small portion of the coke is absorbed into the body. Base coke or crack can be smoked however. This is usually done with a base pipe.

Cocaine is also absorbed into the body when chewing coca leaves. This is hardly ever done in the Netherlands.

There is no safe dose, but you can limit the risks by not using too much and not too often. From 1 gram of cocaine 10 to 20 lines are usually made. Many users find that a quarter of a gram is enough for one evening.

Oral dose
Low	25 – 75 mg
Medium	75 – 150 mg
High	150+ mg

Cocaine is often cut with other substances. It is possible that these are harmful substances. You can have your cocaine tested. The staff at the testing service can tell you more about the various adulterants and the associated risks.

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Duration

The duration of action of cocaine depends on how you use it:

• Snorting: up to about 30 minutes;
• Injecting: a few minutes;
• Smoking (crack): a few minutes

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Risks

You can go beyond your own limits under the influence of cocaine because it lowers the need for sleep and how tired you feel. You then tap into your reserves and can be overtired and depressed for days after using. The longer you have used, the longer these feelings can last.

Cocaine speeds up the heart rate and increases blood pressure. People with high blood pressure and/or heart problems are discouraged to experiment with stimulants.

Users indicate that using cocaine can lead to cravings (a strong desire to take more). This is even more the case when injecting or smoking cocaine or base coke.

Caution! Cocaine is often adulterated. The coke may be adulterated with substances that carry additional risks. The adulterant levamisole is used in veterinary medicine as an anthelmintic (deworming drug). Regular snorting of coke adulterated with levamisole can lead to a (dangerous) deficiency of white blood cells, reducing resistance to disease. In 2021, one-third of cocaine samples submitted to the testing service contained levamisole. The adulterant phenacetin is a painkiller which no longer is being prescribed. This drug can cause kidney damage. Coke is also regularly adulterated with caffeine. Make sure your cocaine is tested

Short term risks

Long term risks

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Interactions

Combining different types of drugs can be risky and unpredictable. When you combine drugs you can have a higher risk of health problems. In the following paragraphs you can read about the effects and the risks of a number of combinations that occur frequently and also a about few that are extra hazardous. Also check our theme combining drugs.

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Unity tips

There is no such thing as a truly safe use of cocaine. However, the risks can be mitigated, so read the Unity tips:

• Have your cocaine tested! Look for addresses of the testing service at Drugs and testing.
• Only use when you feel physically and psychologically well.
• People with a weak heart, weak arteries, high blood pressure, diabetes or epilepsy have extra health risks and are advised not to use cocaine.
• Do not use to fight fatigue or depression or to eliminate the unpleasant effects of the last use.
• Prevent infectious diseases. Use your own snorting tube and do not share it with others.
• Rinse your nose well with luke warm salt water afterwards, for example by using a nasal spray or nasal douche.
• Use in moderation. Keep track of how much you use.
• Make an agreement with yourself on the maximum amount you want to use in one evening.
• Driving is dangerous under the influence of cocaine.
• Take into account that cocaine is bad for the heart and blood vessels.
• Make sure your body recovers by eating and resting properly
• Do not use if you are on medication or suffer from depression, anxiety or psychosis.
• Do not use when pregnant. Cocaine is harmful to the unborn child.

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FAQ

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Read more

Check out ATTN‘s video on the real history of cocaine in the US:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-dS8Ogx37Q

Here’s a short animated video that shows how the risks of cocaine do not only relate to the risks to your own health: