Cocaine

What is cocaine

• Cocaine - also known as coke or Charlie - is a stimulant derived from the leaves of the coca plant. It’s typically found in the form of a white powder that people snort.
• Cocaine makes us feel energised, chatty, and alert. It’s fast acting with short-lived effects.

Risks

• Taking too much cocaine - or using it when very tired or fatigued - can cause ‘overamping’ (a stimulant overdose).
• It can make someone feel panicked, aggressive, or extremely agitated.
• Physically, it can also cause a racing heart, chest pain, and, in some cases, a heart attack.
• If you are pre-disposed to or have a heart condition, be cautious about using cocaine and keep your doses light - especially if already feeling tired or run down.
• Because of the pressure it puts on the heart, cocaine does not mix well with other drugs.
• Avoid using cocaine with psychedelics - like LSD, 2CB or mushrooms - as this can cause severe anxiety.
• Also try to avoid drinking alcohol when using cocaine.
• The combined effects in the body can place enormous pressure on the heart and, because it masks the effects of alcohol, using cocaine can encourage excess drinking.

Dosing

• Cocaine is usually taken by snorting. It can be swallowed or ‘gummed’ too.
• Gumming cocaine means rubbing a small amount over the gums, which can leave them feeling a little numb.
• A light dose of cocaine is 10-30mg, while a more common dose is 30-60mg.
• It’s usually not possible to measure doses of a powder when out and about.
• It’s a good idea to invest in some milligram scales to visualise how different doses look (for when it’s snorted later or cut into lines).

Safer snorting

Snorting powders like cocaine carries some risks.

• It can lead to infections and frequent snorting can damage the nostrils (which can make someone more prone to infections or cause long-term scarring).
• Hepatitis C is especially easily transmitted by snorting - it can survive on surfaces for up to six weeks!
• Someone can reduce long-term damage caused to their nose from snorting by:
  • alternating nostrils every time they snort
  • using a straw to snort higher up the nose to avoid damaging the septum
  • taking a break if the nose is bleeding
  • using a saline rinse to gently clean the nose at the end of the night or session
• Someone can reduce their risks of getting an infection from snorting by:
  • avoiding sharing snorting equipment
  • using a clean straw or clean rolled up piece of paper - rather than used bank notes - to snort lines (Remember: venues usually have clean straws behind the bar!)
  • carrying hand sanitiser to disinfect any equipment (especially keys, cards and surfaces)
  • consider keeping a specific, clean card for crushing or cutting drugs (to avoid using a bank card that comes into contact with ATMs or payment devices)