Cocaine is an alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from “coca” in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is both a stimulant of the central nervous system and an appetite suppressant. Cocaine is highly addictive because of the way it affects the mesolimbic reward pathway in the brain.

Research with cocaine has shown that not only humans but laboratory animals can become compulsive cocaine users. During a test, an addicted monkey pressed a bar 12,800 times until it got a single dose of cocaine. If the monkey survives, it will return to the task of obtaining more cocaine.

The human response is similar to that of the laboratory animal. The cocaine-dependent human prefers it to all other activities and will use the drug until the user or the supply is exhausted, which is why cocaine users will typically go on multiple day binges. These persons will exhibit behavior entirely different from their previous lifestyle.

Cocaine-driven humans will commit acts that they would normally never do otherwise. For example, cocaine users will steal from their families or friends in order to obtain more cocaine. There are many stories of professionals, such as lawyers, physicians, bankers, and athletes, with daily habits costing hundreds to thousands of dollars, with binges in the $20,000-$50,000 range. The result may be loss of job and profession, loss of family, bankruptcy, and death.

Because cocaine is a powerfully addictive stimulant drug, it is considered to be one of the greatest threats to the world because of the violence associated with trafficking and use. The powdered hydrochloride salt form of cocaine can be snorted or dissolved in water and injected. Crack is cocaine base that has not been neutralized by an acid to make the hydrochloride salt. This form of cocaine comes in a rock crystal that is heated to produce vapors, which are smoked. The term “crack” refers to the crackling sound produced by the rock as it is heated. Crack produces an immediate and more intense high. It comes in off-white chunks or chips called “rocks.” Little crumbs of crack are sometimes called “kibbles & bits.”

With snorting, the usual ritual is to place a line of coke on a smooth surface. The finely divided powder is then snorted (inhaled quickly) into a nostril through a plastic or glass straw or a rolled currency bill. This ritual is usually repeated within a few minutes using the other nostril. Special spoons and other paraphernalia are available for snorting cocaine. A user describes the comparison: “Snorting coke is like driving 50 miles per hour. Smoking crack is like driving 150 miles per hour without brakes!”
In its most common form, cocaine is a whitish crystalline powder that produces feelings of euphoria when ingested. Regardless of how cocaine is used or how frequently, a user can experience acute cardiovascular emergencies or stroke, which could result in sudden death. Cocaine-related deaths are often a result of cardiac arrest or seizure followed by respiratory arrest. The following are symptoms cocaine users can experience:

MODERATE DOSE: disturbances in heart rhythm, increased heart and respiratory rates, elevated blood pressure, dilated pupils, decreased appetite, excessive activity, talkativeness, irritability, argumentative behavior, nervousness or agitation.

LARGE DOSE: loss of coordination, collapse, perspiration, blurred vision, dizziness, feeling of restlessness, anxiety, delusions, heart attacks, chest pain, respiratory failure, strokes, seizures and headaches, abdominal pain, nausea, paranoia.

SYMPTOMS OF OVERDOSE: increase in body temperature, hallucinations, convulsions

In addition to their stand-alone use, both cocaine and crack are often mixed with other substances. Cocaine may be mixed with methcathinone (a more recent drug of abuse, known as “cat,” that is similar to methamphetamine) to create a “wildcat.” A hollowed-out cigar filled with a mixture of crack and marijuana is known as a “woolah” or a “blunt.” Cocaine or crack used in conjunction with heroin is called a “speedball.”

Unfortunately, it is common for people to use cocaine while consuming alcohol. When people mix cocaine and alcohol, they are compounding the danger each drug possesses and are unknowingly forming a complex chemical experiment within their bodies. NIDA-funded researchers have found that the human liver combines cocaine and alcohol and then manufactures a third substance, cocaethylene,that intensifies cocaine’s euphoric effects while potentially increasing the risk of sudden death. Cocaine used together with alcohol represents the most common fatal two-drug combination.

The staff at Gulf Coast understands that people do not just one day decide that they are going to be a cocaine addict. Addiction is usually something that happens over a period of time. Unfortunately for the individual, cocaine addiction, especially crack, can occur suddenly. Gulf Coast has helped countless number of people kick their cocaine addiction, even those who have been to other centers and, for whatever reason, have been unsuccessful. Gulf Coast has, for years, been helping good people find lasting recovery, and we can help you. Make that all important first step and let us help you or your loved one rid themselves from the scourge of cocaine addiction.