Commonly Abused Drugs

Cocaine

A powerfully addictive stimulant drug made from the leaves of the coca plant native to South America. 

Street Names Commercial Names Common Forms Common Ways Taken DEA Schedule
Blow, Bump, C, Candy, Charlie, Coke, Crack, Flake, Rock, Snow, Toot Cocaine hydrochloride topical solution (anesthetic rarely used in medical procedures) White powder, whitish rock crystal Snorted, smoked, injected II

Possible Health Effects
Short-term Narrowed blood vessels; enlarged pupils; increased body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure; headache; abdominal pain and nausea; euphoria; increased energy, alertness; insomnia, restlessness; anxiety; erratic and violent behavior, panic attacks, paranoia, psychosis; heart rhythm problems, heart attack; stroke, seizure, coma.
Long-term Loss of sense of smell, nosebleeds, nasal damage and trouble swallowing from snorting; infection and death of bowel tissue from decreased blood flow; poor nutrition and weight loss from decreased appetite.
Other Health-related Issues Pregnancy: premature delivery, low birth weight, neonatal abstinence syndrome.

Risk of HIV, hepatitis, and other infectious diseases from shared needles.
In Combination with Alcohol Greater risk of overdose and sudden death than from either drug alone.
Withdrawal Symptoms Depression, tiredness, increased appetite, insomnia, vivid unpleasant dreams, slowed thinking and movement, restlessness.
Treatment options
Medications There are no FDA-approved medications to treat cocaine addiction.
Behavioral Therapies
  • Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
  • Community reinforcement approach plus vouchers
  • Contingency management, or motivational incentives
  • The matrix model
  • 12-Step facilitation therapy