Cocaine

Cocaine is expensive and not used that often by young people. Cocaine is an illegal stimulant made from the leaves of the coca plant.

It's also known as C, coke, nose candy, snow, rack, white lady, toot, Charlie, blow, white dust, pebbles, Chang and stardust. Freebase is known as base. Crack is referred to as rock or wash.

Cocaine is a white powder. It’s mostly snorted but it can be injected.

The effects of cocaine include: alertness, feelings of wellbeing and euphoria, and enthusiastic talking. Cocaine can also cause a loss of appetite, aggressiveness and over-confidence which sometimes leads to careless risk-taking. The high from cocaine is felt almost immediately and only lasts a little while but the comedown can last days.

If you have alcohol with cocaine, it can produce a third chemical called cocaethylene, which is really bad for your heart and can even cause a heart attack.

An overdose of cocaine can cause, vomiting, tremors, irregular breathing, agitation or panic. Call an ambulance if any of these symptoms occur.

If you use cocaine it is important to know how to be as safe as possible:

• Take regular breaks from using

• Avoid mixing with other drugs

• Dilute with water to protect the nasal passage

• Take regular breaks from using

• If injecting, use safe injecting practices

• Drink water

• Plan for the comedown

• Have ‘safe’ people to call in case of feelings of paranoia or panic

• Call an ambulance if an overdose is suspected

See the Australian Drug Foundation for more drug facts