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
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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
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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
- Gene Variant Tied to Cocaine-Induced Paranoia(03/04/2009, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_81308.html
- Cognitive-Behavioral Approach: Treating Cocaine Addiction(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/TXManuals/CBT/CBT4.html
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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
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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
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Mind Over Matter: Stimulants(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://teens.drugabuse.gov/mom/mom_stim1.asp
Also available in Spanish http://teens.drugabuse.gov/mom/pdf/spanish/stimulants.pdf
- 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
- 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
- Article: Overcoming cocaine or stimulant addiction. Medications offer modest help; vaccines... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19368038&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Immunopharmacotherapy: vaccination strategies as a treatment for drug abuse and... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19350728&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Response to corticotropin-releasing hormone infusion in cocaine-dependent individuals. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19349312&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
- 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/
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Cocaine and Pregnancy(Organization of Teratology Information Services) - Links to PDF - http://www.otispregnancy.org/pdf/cocaine.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://otispregnancy.org/pdf/Cocaina_y_Embarazo.pdf
- Illicit Drug Use during Pregnancy(March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation) - http://www.marchofdimes.com/professionals/14332_1169.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/