The Effects of Cocaine

The effects of cocaine are generally viewed as 'getting high'. Cocaine was once viewed as the champagne of drugs and the ‘jet set’ drug because of its cost and its association with celebrities. Cocaine is a natural substance derived from the cocoa plant grown mainly in South America. The indigenous people have chewed the leaves at least since 3000 bc and it is still legal for them to do so to-day. It has been used widely over the centuries as a stimulant and an ingredient in many patent medicines and it was even an ingredient of Coca Cola until 1904.

Cocaine normally comes in two forms, a white powder and freebased cocaine more commonly known as ‘crack’. Freebasing is a technique used to ‘free’ cocaine from the acid hydrochloride to produce crystals or ‘rocks’ which are easily smoked.

Methods of Use
Cocaine in powder form is usually sniffed through a makeshift tube (see picture below), while in freebase or crack form it is usually smoked. It can also be injected but this tends to be rare.

Wondering who uses cocaine? Find out here.

Effects of Cocaine
The effects of cocaine have a very rapid onset, especially when smoked as crack. However the effects are also very short-lived, thus the cocaine user needs to take it regularly (perhaps every 20 minutes) to maintain the effects. Users tend to describe feelings of euphoria and well-being, heightened energy and clarity of thought and a ban-ishing of anxiety. Sexual appetite and desires can also be heightened.

Adverse Effects of Cocaine
Although cocaine relieves anxiety it can also cause it when taken in high and regularly repeated doses. The user can experience hallucinations and paranoia. Like other stimulants users can feel fatigued and depressed when the effects wear off and they can experience sleeplessness; however these effects are not as strong as they are with amphetamine use. Excessive doses can lead to heart failure and death, but this tends to be rare.

Long-term use by sniffing can lead to damage of the soft tissue in the nasal cavity. Long term smoking can cause damage to the lungs. Users can develop psychological problems similar to paranoid psychosis. Physical problems include restlessness, nausea insomnia and weight loss. Females who ingest cocaine during pregnancy run a risk of spontaneous abortion through a restriction of the blood supply to the foetus. There is some level of tolerance through repeated use but there appears to be little risk of dependence, although psychological dependence may occur.

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