Virginia Cocaine Detox and Rehab

Cocaine is an illicit stimulant drug that’s derived from the leaves of the Coca plant. Cocaine causes an intense stimulant effect on the central nervous system, increasing activity and producing a short-lived, euphoric high. The drug also has anesthetic properties and was historically used as a numbing agent in surgery before more effective medications were developed. Ingesting cocaine produces increased alertness and energy and speeds up virtually every system in the body.

Cocaine is mainly found as a whitish, powdery substance. Depending on the purity, the drug can be off-white or pearlescent or may have a more formed and clumped appearance. Dealers often mix cocaine with other substances that have a white, powdery appearance to boost the volume and thus profits. It can also exist in the form of Crack Cocaine, which we’ll examine separately.

Cocaine can remain in the system for anywhere between one and three days. As a water-soluble drug with a relatively short duration of action, it’s metabolized rapidly, staying in the urine at detectable levels for up to 72 hours with heavy use. The drug may only remain in the system for a day or two with light or infrequent use. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy to quit cocaine.

Cocaine is incredibly addictive because of how it affects people mentally and its short duration of action. The drug rapidly produces an accumulation of dopamine that gives a person an intense euphoria. But as cocaine rapidly wears off, the person “crashes” and goes from feeling very stimulated to very depressed within a short window. During the crash, they may crave cocaine intensely and likely be agitated and anxious. They’ll often want to use more cocaine, repeating this process as often as every fifteen minutes or less. It’s not uncommon for cocaine users to keep this up until they can’t get any more cocaine, however long that takes.

Cocaine is primarily consumed nasally by snorting. Those who snort heroin often use rolled-up money, paper, straws, or empty pen tubes to inhale it. While this is the most popular method, the drug can also be smoked or injected.

The questions from Addicted.org’s “Ask a Professional” are answered by Michael Leach, CCMA. If you need further clarification on any of the questions above or have any other questions you can contact him directly at [email protected].