Also called: Also called: Blow, C, Coke, Crack, Flake, Snow
Cocaine is a powerful drug that stimulates the brain. People who use it can form a strong addiction. They may have to use more and more of the drug to get high. It's sold on the street as a fine, white powder. There are two forms of cocaine: hydrochloride salt and freebase. The salt dissolves in water. People can take it in a vein or in the nose. The freebase form can be smoked. Crack is the street name of a smokable form of cocaine.
No matter how cocaine is taken, it is dangerous. Some of the most common serious problems include
- Heart problems, including heart attacks
- Respiratory effects, including respiratory failure
- Nervous system problems, including strokes
- Digestive problems
Any of these can be fatal. Using cocaine with alcohol is a common cause of drug-related death.
National Institute on Drug Abuse
-
Crack and Cocaine
(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/cocaine.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/Cocaine-Sp.html
- Cocaine(Office of National Drug Control Policy) - http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/drugfact/cocaine/index.html
-
Cocaine Abuse and Addiction(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/ResearchReports/Cocaine/Cocaine.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.nida.nih.gov/ResearchReports/Cocaina/Cocaina.html
- Crack(Office of National Drug Control Policy) - http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/drugfact/crack/index.html
- What You Need to Know about Drugs: Cocaine and Crack(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/behavior/cocaine_crack.html
- Repeated Cocaine Use Raises Heart Attack Risk(10/28/2008, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_70931.html
- Cocaine Addicts' Brains Predisposed to Abuse(10/09/2008, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_70236.html
-
Cognitive-Behavioral Approach: Treating Cocaine Addiction(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/TXManuals/CBT/CBT4.html
-
Treatment Approaches for Drug Addiction(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/TreatMeth.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/Metodos-Sp.html
-
What Is Substance Abuse Treatment? A Booklet for Families(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - Large PDF file - http://www.kap.samhsa.gov/products/brochures/pdfs/WhatIsTx.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://kap.samhsa.gov/mli/docs/spanish/WhatIsTx-Spanish.pdf
-
Mind Over Matter: Stimulants(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://teens.drugabuse.gov/mom/mom_stim1.asp
-
Oops: How Casual Drug Use Leads to Addiction(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/Published_Articles/Oops.html
- Cocaine and Crack(Drug Enforcement Administration) - http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/photo_library1.html
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Cocaine-Related Disorders(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Cocaine-Related+Disorders%22
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Crack Cocaine(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Crack+Cocaine%22
-
Brain Mechanism Turns Off Cocaine-Related Memory in Rats(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/NIDA_notes/NNvol21N1/Brain.html
-
Cocaine Abusers' Pretreatment Cue Responses Predict Recovery Success(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/NIDA_notes/NNvol21N2/cocaine.html
-
Cocaine Craving Activates Brain Reward Structures; Cocaine "High" Dampens Them(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/NIDA_notes/NNvol21N2/craving.html
- Doctors Should Check for Cocaine Use in Younger Patients with Chest Pain and Those with No Apparent Heart Disease Risk Factors(American Heart Association) - http://americanheart.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=371
-
Scientists Identify a Brain Mechanism Underlying Persistent Cocaine Craving(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/newsroom/08/NR5-25.html
-
Serotonin System May Have Potential as a Target for Cocaine Medications(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/NIDA_notes/NNvol21N3/serotonin.html
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Do atypical antipsychotics effectively treat co-occurring bipolar disorder and stimulant... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18681757&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: The safety of disulfiram for the treatment of alcohol and... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18613809&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Infrequent illicit methadone use among stimulant-using patients in methadone maintenance... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18612886&tool=MedlinePlus
- Cocaine -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=(cocaine-related+disorders[majr]+OR+crack+cocaine[majr]+OR+cocaine/ae[majr])+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+systematic[sb]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Glossary(Partnership for a Drug-Free America) - http://www.drugfree.org/Intervention/Glossary
-
NIDA for Teens: Glossary(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.teens.drugabuse.gov/utilities/glossary.asp
- Street Terms: Drugs and the Drug Trade: Cocaine(Office of National Drug Control Policy) - http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/streetterms/ByType.asp?intTypeID=3
- Street Terms: Drugs and the Drug Trade: Crack Cocaine(Office of National Drug Control Policy) - http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/streetterms/ByType.asp?intTypeID=2
- Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - http://dasis3.samhsa.gov/
- Drug Enforcement Administration - http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/
-
National Institute on Drug Abuse - http://www.nida.nih.gov/
- Office of National Drug Control Policy - http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/
- Partnership for a Drug-Free America - http://www.drugfree.org/
- Cocaine Use: 2002 and 2003(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/2k5/cocaine/cocaine.htm
- Smoked Cocaine vs. Non-Smoked Cocaine Admissions: 2002(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/2k5/crackTX/crackTX.htm
- Trends in Cocaine Treatment Admissions by State: 1992-2002(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/2k5/CocaineTX/CocaineTX.htm
- Trends in the Prevalence of Marijuana, Cocaine, and Other Illegal Drug Use(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - Links to PDF - http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/yrbs/pdf/trends/2005_YRBS_Drug-Use.pdf
- What You Need to Know about Drugs: Cocaine and Crack(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/grow/drugs_alcohol/know_drugs_cocaine.html
- Tips for Teens: The Truth about Cocaine(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - http://ncadi.samhsa.gov/govpubs/phd640/
- Cocaine and Pregnancy(Organization of Teratology Information Services) - Links to PDF - http://www.otispregnancy.org/pdf/cocaine.pdf
-
Illicit Drug Use during Pregnancy(March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation) - http://www.marchofdimes.com/professionals/14332_1169.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.nacersano.org/centro/9388_9935.asp
- Drug Abuse - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/drugabuse.html
- Substance Abuse Problems - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/substanceabuseproblems.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Cocaine is the National Institute on Drug Abuse - http://www.nida.nih.gov/