Cocaine and crack Page 1 of 4

B
S

Home
Health
Healthy living
Substance abuse
Controlled and illegal drugs

Cocaine and crack

Cocaine and crack are powerful stimulants and highly addictive. Their effects on people's physical and
mental health can be serious and sometimes fatal. Learn about what cocaine and crack are, and how they
affect the mind and body.

On this page:
z About cocaine and crack
z Short-term effects of cocaine and crack
z Long-term effects of cocaine and crack
z Addiction and withdrawal
z For more information

About cocaine and crack

Learn about cocaine and crack, what they are made of and how they are used.

Cocaine
Cocaine (also known as C, rock, snow, coke and blow) is made from the leaves of the South American coca bush. The leaves are
processed into a fine, white powder.

In this form, cocaine can be:

z sniffed into the nose (snorted)

z dissolved in water and injected into veins

The effects of cocaine can be different from person to person, and also from one use to the next. The way cocaine makes people feel
depends on many factors, including whether it is:

z sniffed
z injected
z smoked

Crack
Crack (also known as rock and freebase) is the smokable form of cocaine.

To make crack, the cocaine powder is melted and compressed into rocks, which can then be smoked. Crack reaches the brain faster. In
higher doses, it is also more addictive than regular cocaine that is snorted.

Short-term effects of cocaine and crack

People take cocaine or crack because it makes them feel good. The drug changes brain chemistry so that people feel a sense of
pleasure (euphoria).

Mental effects
Short-term mental effects can include:

z feeling happy and mentally alert

z having more energy and self-confidence
z anxiety

http://healthycanadians.gc.ca/healthy-living-vie-saine/substance-abuse-toxicomanie/contr... 2015/11/04
Cocaine and crack Page 2 of 4

z paranoid thinking (believing that people want to harm you)

z panic

Physical effects
Cocaine and crack use have both moderate and severe physical effects.

Moderate effects can include:

z becoming talkative
z experiencing a temporary decrease in need for food and sleep
z experiencing a heightened sense of sight, sound and touch
z dry mouth
z quicker startle reflexes and muscle twitches
z widened (dilated) pupils of the eyes
z restlessness and irritability

More severe effects can include:

z nausea and vomiting

z tremors
z dizziness
z faster heart rate and higher blood pressure
z rapid breathing or difficulty breathing (crack)
z violent behaviour

Bingeing
Because crack produces a very short-lived effect, smokers often use the drug several times. Some consume large amounts over a short
period of time or stay drugged for hours or days (bingeing). They want to prolong the pleasurable effects.

Users also want to avoid the drop in mood (crashing) that happens after the drug wears off. When they crash, people may feel:

z anxious
z tired
z hungry
z depressed
z suicidal

As a result, users may take even more cocaine to deal with the crash.

Overdose
The most serious short-term side effect of cocaine or crack is the possibility of an overdose, which can be lethal.

Some of the more negative effects associated with overdose can include:

z seizures or convulsions
z a stroke (loss of proper blood flow to the brain)
z an irregular heartbeat, heart attack or heart failure
z breathing failure (breathing stops)

The amount of cocaine needed to cause an overdose varies. It can happen to users who take a lot of the drug or only a little. The
possibility of accidental overdose is higher when people:

z do not know exactly what drug they are taking or how strong it is
z use other drugs along with cocaine (such as alcohol)
z use the drug in a way that gets it into their system more quickly (for example, snorting)

Long-term effects of cocaine and crack

Long-term cocaine users may experience a range of physical symptoms. The drug can harm the body in different mental and physical
ways.

Mental effects

http://healthycanadians.gc.ca/healthy-living-vie-saine/substance-abuse-toxicomanie/contr... 2015/11/04
Cocaine and crack Page 3 of 4

Using cocaine affects the mind in a number of ways. The longer people use it, the worse the harm can become. Over time, cocaine can
also cause physical changes in the brain. Some of these changes may affect users' ability to function in their lives, at work or at school.

Some ongoing mental health effects linked to long-term use can include:

z extreme changes in mood

z sleeping problems
z erratic or violent behaviour
z depression
z losing touch with reality (hallucinations, delusions or psychosis)
z feelings of distrust, judgment, jealousy or suspicion (paranoia)

Physical effects
Cocaine use can lead to a variety of long-term physical effects.

Lung, nose and breathing problems

Smoking crack is hard on the lungs. Symptoms may include:

z difficulty breathing, such as:

{ wheezing

{ shortness of breath

{ even breathing failure

z severe chest pain

z coughing, including coughing up blood from the lungs
z low blood oxygen
z collapsed or inflamed lungs that fill up with fluid

People who regularly snort cocaine can develop nose and sinus problems. These include:

z having a red, chapped or runny nose

z developing a hole in the wall between the nostrils
z having frequent nosebleeds
z losing the sense of smell
z developing frequent nose and sinus infections

Heart problems
Cocaine stresses the heart, creating high blood pressure and a fast or irregular heartbeat. This increases the possibility of a heart attack.
Even young and healthy people are at risk, especially if they use cocaine and alcohol together.

Stomach problems
Cocaine use is linked to a range of stomach health issues, including:

z nausea and vomiting

z changes in appetite
{ these changes range between intense hunger and no interest in food, resulting in a lack of proper nutrition

z abdominal pain

Other problems
Prolonged cocaine use may also cause other health issues, such as:

z impotence
{ males may have difficulty getting an erection

z low libido
{ in both men and women, cocaine can cause a sharp decline in sex drive

z pregnancy problems
{ if pregnant women use cocaine, they risk miscarriage, stillbirth or premature delivery

z seizures
{ cocaine can cause life-threatening convulsions

z bleeding in the brain

http://healthycanadians.gc.ca/healthy-living-vie-saine/substance-abuse-toxicomanie/contr... 2015/11/04
Cocaine and crack Page 4 of 4

{ cocaine can cause blood vessels in the brain to burst, which can be fatal

If users inject cocaine, they risk complications such as:

z skin infections
z blood poisoning
z infection of the lining of the heart

If they share drug equipment like needles, pipes or spoons, users may also risk infection. Several serious diseases can be spread by
contaminated equipment, such as:

z hepatitis B
z hepatitis C
z HIV

Addiction and withdrawal

Cocaine and crack are highly addictive. Heavy users cannot function without it, and need more and more to get the same effect. This is
known as tolerance.

A person addicted to cocaine or crack experiences intense cravings. For the addicted, it is difficult to focus on anything else. Eventually,
their lives can be taken over by the urge to get and use cocaine and crack.

If persistent cocaine use is stopped abruptly, people experience withdrawal symptoms, including cravings for cocaine. Drug cravings are
one of the most common symptoms of withdrawal.

Other withdrawal symptoms can include:

z fatigue
z difficulty sleeping or disturbed sleep
z feeling hungry all the time
z loss of physical and mental energy
z irritability
z depression
z violent behaviour

For more information

z Get help
z Controlled and illegal drugs
z About prescription drug abuse
z About substance abuse
z Risks of abusing drugs

Date modified:
2015-05-04

http://healthycanadians.gc.ca/healthy-living-vie-saine/substance-abuse-toxicomanie/contr... 2015/11/04