Cocaine speeds up messages between the brain and the body. It can make you feel alert, confident, anxious or aggressive.
Cocaine is made from the leaves of the coca plant.
It can come as white powder that people:
- snort
- dab on the gums
- inject
Cocaine powder can be chemically altered to make other forms of cocaine such as:
- crack cocaine - powder or crystals that are white, clear, beige or yellow (rocks)
- freebase cocaine - usually white powder or crystals
These are usually smoked.
Drug category: stimulant
Stimulants speed up messages between the brain and body. They can make you feel alert or energetic. But they can also cause anxiety, paranoia and heart problems.
Other names for cocaine
Other names include: blow, C, charlie, coke, crack, dust, freebase, rock, sniff, snow, white
Effects of cocaine
The effects of cocaine can vary depending on:
- your size, weight and sex
- if you have any health conditions or mental health difficulties
- how you take the drug
- the strength of the drug
- how much you take
- if you take alcohol, medicines or other drugs at the same time
- where you take the drug and how you feel before you take it
- if you have taken the drug before and how often
If you snort cocaine, the effects start after 5 to 10 minutes.
How you may feel or behave
You may feel:
- alert or energetic
- confident
- anxious or panicked
- talkative
- paranoid
- agitated
Effects on your brain and body
Cocaine can cause:
- increased temperature and sweating
- dehydration
- increased heart rate and chest pain
- increased blood pressure
- dry mouth
- dilated pupils
- lower inhibitions - you may do things you would not usually do
- increased sex drive - but you may lose your sex drive if you use it often
- low mood or thoughts of suicide
- problems sleeping
- sudden need to poo or diarrhoea
- hallucinations - you see, hear and feel things that do not exist
- loss of appetite - this can affect your health and energy levels over time
- nose problems - if you snort it often
- breathing problems - if you smoke it often
- heart, kidney or liver problems - if you use it often
Cocaine and mental health
Cocaine can cause mental health difficulties or make existing difficulties worse. The effects on your mental health can last after other effects of the drug have stopped.
Regular use or high doses of cocaine can lead to:
- low mood and depression
- thoughts of suicide
- paranoia
- hallucinations - you see, hear and feel things that do not exist
- psychosis - you have confused thoughts, feelings and behaviour and you do not know what is real or not real
Comedowns
A comedown is how you feel as the drug leaves your system.
Comedowns from cocaine can happen quickly. You may feel tired, anxious or very low.
Other symptoms can last for days, such as:
- tiredness or muscle aches
- anxiety
- low mood or depression
- thoughts of suicide
- problems concentrating
Cocaine and dependency
Regular use of cocaine can cause:
- tolerance - when you need to take more of the drug to get the same effects
- dependency
Signs of dependency can include:
- cravings for a drug
- withdrawal symptoms
- continuing to use a drug even when it causes you harm
Withdrawal symptoms
If you stop taking cocaine after regular use, you may get withdrawal symptoms.
These include:
- low mood or depression
- anxiety
- problems sleeping
- paranoia
How long does cocaine stay in your system?
It can be hard to know how long cocaine stays in your system.
There are tests to detect cocaine. But different types of tests have different detection times.
Things that affect how long a drug stays in your system
The time it takes for a drug to leave your system depends on many things.
For example:
- how much you took
- how often you take the drug
- how strong the drug was
- your age, sex and metabolism
- your general health
Reducing risks from cocaine
It’s always safest not to use drugs.
You can never be fully sure of the contents or strength of cocaine. This can vary from batch to batch. Powders sold as cocaine may contain other substances, such as benzocaine and lidocaine.
There are ways to reduce the risk of harm if you use cocaine. Select a piece of advice to find out more.
Consider if there is extra risk for you - such as health conditions or how you feel.
There are always risks if you use drugs. But some people may be more at risk than others.
If you or someone in your family has any health conditions or mental health difficulties, you may be more at risk of a drug emergency.
For example, if you have heart problems.
It can be hard to know your level of risk. Some people have health conditions and do not know it.
If you feel low, anxious or stressed, you are more at risk of a negative or challenging experience.
Only take with you what you intend to use.
This is to reduce the risk of taking too much in 1 session.
Some drugs cause a strong urge to take more. You may also lose track of what you take. If you take too much too soon, you increase your risks.
Start with a small amount and wait 2 hours before you take more.
This is to reduce the risk of an overdose or drug emergency.
The contents or strength of drugs can vary, even in the same batch.
If you start with a small amount, you can:
- see how you react
- stop if you get an effect you did not expect or do not want
It can take up to 2 hours for some effects to happen. If you take too much too soon, it increases your risk.
Take breaks to rest and cool down.
This is to reduce the risk of dehydration and overheating. Cocaine can increase your body temperature.
If you're dancing when you use cocaine, take regular breaks. You can put a wet cloth or t-shirt on your forehead if you feel too hot.
Sip water or sports drinks - but not more than 1 pint an hour.
This is to reduce the risk of dehydration and water intoxication. Cocaine can increase your body temperature and make you thirsty.
But if you drink too much water, your body pushes the extra water into your cells. The extra water causes a salt imbalance and swelling in your brain cells.
Keep track of what you use.
To keep track of what you use each session, you could:
- set an alarm
- note the time you use - for example, take a screenshot on your phone
Take breaks between sessions to reduce your risk of dependency and tolerance.
Only use 1 substance at a time.
Using cocaine with alcohol, medicines or other drugs can have unpredictable and negative effects. Mixing drugs is always more risky.
Use a buddy system if possible.
Prepare a plan with your buddy on what to do in case of an emergency.
This may be that you both agree to:
- learn the signs of an overdose
- use naloxone in an opioid emergency
- call the emergency services
- stay with the other person until help arrives
Plan a safe way to get home.
It is dangerous to drive if drugs are in your system. You could harm yourself or other people. A drug can still be in your system even if you do not feel the effects.
Consider less risky ways of using if you inject cocaine.
Injecting drugs increases the risk of overdose and can cause vein damage or infections.
Think about your sexual health.
Cocaine can reduce your inhibitions and increase your sex drive.
There are things you can do to look after yourself and your partners if you could have sex when you take drugs.
Find safe ways to cope with comedowns.
Using drugs or alcohol to cope with comedowns can make you feel worse.
Try to:
- get enough sleep or rest
- eat well
- keep in contact with friends and check if they are OK too
- talk to someone you trust about how you feel if you had a negative experience or saw something that worries you
- do some light activity, such as a walk - it releases chemicals in your brain that improve your mood (endorphins)
- do some relaxation exercises to manage stress, anxiety and worry
- take regular breaks from drugs and alcohol
- get medical advice if you have thoughts or feelings that worry you
Know what to do in case of a drug emergency.
If you take any kind of drug, it is important to know:
- signs of a drug emergency, including signs related to mental health
- what to do in case of overdose or other emergencies
An overdose can be a life-threatening condition. It happens when someone has too much of a drug or another substance in their system.
Getting help can prevent serious damage or death. Your wellbeing is the main priority.
Mixing cocaine with alcohol or other drugs
Using cocaine with alcohol, medicines or other drugs can have unpredictable and negative effects.
Emergency action required: Call 112 or 999 if
you or someone else has taken cocaine and has:
- a seizure (fit)
- breathing problems
- pain in the chest or arms
- very fast or irregular heartbeat
- high temperature
- severe distress, confusion or panic - they cannot calm down and may be a danger to themselves or others
Stay with the person until help arrives.
Tell the medics everything you know about the drug and give them any leftover drug if possible. It will help them decide the right treatment.
If you are worried about cocaine use
If you are worried about your own or someone else’s use, you can get support. This can be when cocaine use affects your health, relationships, work or other areas of your life.
Non-urgent advice: Drugs and alcohol helpline
You can contact the helpline for support, information or advice on treatment and support options.
Freephone: 1800 459 459
Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5.30pm
Email: helpline@hse.ie