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NIDA Home > Drugs of Abuse/Related Topics > Cocaine

Cocaine

Brief
Description:
Cocaine is a powerfully addictive central nervous system stimulant that is snorted, injected, or smoked. Crack is cocaine hydrochloride powder that has been processed to form a rock crystal that is then usually smoked.
Street Names:
Coke, snow, flake, blow
More at Street Terms (Office of National Drug Control Policy Web Site)
Effects:
Cocaine usually makes the user feel euphoric and energetic, but also increases body temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate. Users risk heart attacks, respiratory failure, strokes, seizures, abdominal pain, and nausea. In rare cases, sudden death can occur on the first use of cocaine or unexpectedly afterwards.
Statistics
and Trends:

In 2008, 5.3 million Americans age 12 and older had abused cocaine in any form and 1.1 million had abused crack at least once in the year prior to being surveyed. Source: National Survey on Drug Use and Health (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration Web Site). The NIDA-funded 2008 Monitoring the Future Study showed that 1.8% of 8th graders, 3.0% of 10th graders, and 4.4% of 12th graders had abused cocaine in any form and 1.1% of 8th graders, 1.3% of 10th graders, and 1.6% of 12th graders had abused crack at least once in the year prior to being surveyed. Source: Monitoring the Future (University of Michigan Web Site) .

NIDA's Featured Publications

NIDA Infofacts: Cocaine NIDA InfoFacts: Crack and Cocaine. Summary of research findings for a general audience. (Fact sheet).
En Español


Research Reports:  Cocaine cover NIDA Research Report: Cocaine: Abuse and Addiction. More detailed look at the latest research findings. For a general audience. (Report).
En Español

Other NIDA Resources on Cocaine

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