How to Spot Signs of Cocaine Use

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Cocaine is a highly addictive drug with widespread use around the world. Some experts estimate that in the United States alone, almost 25 million people will have tried cocaine at least once in their lifetime. [1] Cocaine is typically snorted through the nose but can be injected or smoked, and each method of administration carries its own risks of adverse effects. [2] Learning the signs and symptoms of cocaine use can help you determine whether a friend or loved one is using cocaine, and help you determine how to intervene.

Part 1
Part 1 of 3:

Recognizing Physical Indications of Cocaine Use

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  1. Cocaine use causes the pupils in the eyes to dilate because of the drug's stimulant effects. [3]
    • Look for widened pupils (the dark inner circle of the eye), even in well-lit rooms. [4]
    • Dilated pupils may or may not be accompanied by red, bloodshot eyes. [5]
  2. Because many users administer cocaine by snorting it through the nose, one of the telltale signs of cocaine use is nasal stress. Look for signs of:
    • runny noses [6]
    • nosebleeds [7]
    • damage to the inside of nostrils [8]
    • difficulty swallowing [9]
    • a decreased sense of smell [10]
    • traces of white powder around the nostrils [11]
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  3. Because cocaine is a stimulant, one of the common physical symptoms of cocaine use is a rapid heartbeat. In some cases, this may lead to cardiac arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat), hypertension, and cardiac death. [12]
    • A normal, healthy heart rate for most adults is between 60 and 100 beats per minute. [13]
    • Note that heart rate can be affected by other factors not associated with drug use, including physical activity, air temperature, body position, emotional states, and even certain legal medications. [14] For this reason, heart rate alone should not necessarily be considered a definitive sign of drug use.
  4. Another common method of administering cocaine is by smoking the drug, typically in the form of a solid "rock," called crack cocaine. Crack is formed by mixing powdered cocaine with water and baking soda. [15]
    • Signs of crack use include burned fingers or lips from lighting and smoking through a specialized device commonly called a crack pipe. [16]
  5. Some users inject cocaine intravenously, using a syringe. This is done to experience immediate effects of the drug but comes with its own set of risks, including endocarditis (heart inflammation), cardiovascular disease, abscesses/infections, and an increased risk of overdose. Intravenous drug use also greatly increases the chances of transmitting a blood-borne disease like hepatitis and HIV.
    • Signs of intravenous drug use include puncture marks (called "track marks"), most commonly seen in the arm, and possible skin infections or allergic reactions caused by additives mixed with cocaine. [17]
  6. One method of administering cocaine is by orally swallowing the drug. This produces fewer external signs of drug use than smoking, snorting, or injecting the drug, but it has been known to cause severe gangrene in the bowels and gastrointestinal tract due to reduced blood flow and GI sensitivity to the drug. [18] In cases of oral ingestion, the most visible signs will probably be the symptoms typical of stimulant use, including:
    • agitation [19]
    • unusual excitement [20]
    • hyperactivity [21]
    • suppressed appetite [22]
    • paranoia [23]
    • delusions [24]
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Part 2
Part 2 of 3:

Looking for Behavioral Symptoms of Cocaine Use

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  1. Cocaine and other stimulants often cause overly-energetic behavior. [25] Common conversational clues of cocaine use include:
    • excessive talkativeness [26]
    • rapid speech [27]
    • conversations that jump around from one topic to another [28]
  2. Cocaine use frequently gives users a sense of invincibility. [29] This can lead to high-risk behavior, including risky sexual activities, and violent tendencies, such as fighting, domestic violence, homicide, and suicide. [30]
    • Risky sexual activities may lead to pregnancy, illness, and/or sexually transmitted infections. [31]
    • High-risk behavior may lead to legal problems, serious injury, or death. [32]
  3. Someone who consistently uses cocaine may end up spending large amounts of time and energy acquiring cocaine. [33] Users of cocaine may also engage in:
    • shirking responsibilities or obligations [34]
    • frequently disappearing, going to the bathroom, or leaving the room, and returning in a different mood [35]
  4. Because cocaine is a stimulant, it can cause sudden changes in mood. This may mean irritability, but it could also cause sudden bursts of euphoria or a sense of carelessness, or a shift from one extreme to the other. [36]
  5. A common behavioral characteristic of people who use drugs is withdrawing from social relationships, either to be alone or to be with others who use drugs. [37]
    • Though socially withdrawing from a group of friends may be caused by other factors, such as anxiety or depression, it may also be a sign of drug use.
  6. Many users of all kinds of drugs experience a loss of pleasure in activities or interests that had previously been enjoyable, but this is particularly problematic with cocaine use. [38] That's because cocaine use harms the circuits in the human brain that are responsible for a sense of pleasure. [39]
    • Look for signs of depression and a seeming lack of pleasure in day-to-day activities as a symptom of long-term cocaine use.
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Part 3
Part 3 of 3:

Spotting Evidence of Drug Use

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  1. Depending on the method of administration, there may be a wide range of cocaine-related paraphernalia. Because snorting cocaine is the most common method of ingestion, common paraphernalia items include:
    • hollowed-out pens
    • straws
    • rolled up money or money that appears to have been rolled up
    • razor blades, credit cards, or ID cards, often with powdery residue on the edges
  2. Smoking cocaine typically requires a pipe, which may be made from glass or constructed out of aluminum foil. Look for:
    • small glass pipes [40]
    • aluminum foil
    • lighters
    • empty plastic bags, including very small crack bags [41]
  3. Though less frequent than snorting or smoking the drug, intravenous injection of cocaine is still a common method of administration. Look for:
    • syringes
    • tourniquets, including belts and shoelaces
    • spoons, which may have burn marks on the bottom
    • lighters
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      Tips

      • it can be difficult to talk to someone about their drug use. If you believe a friend or loved one is using cocaine, talk to a medical professional about how to safely get that person help.
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      Warnings

      • None of these signs, by themselves, should be considered as hard evidence. A person may be engaging in suspicious behaviors, but this does not mean that they are using drugs.
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      • Cocaine use can lead to addiction, aortic dissection (torn arteries), high blood pressure, stroke, heart attack, or death. [42]
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      References

      1. ↑ http://www.medicinenet.com/cocaine_and_crack_abuse/article.htm
      2. ↑ http://www.medicinenet.com/cocaine_and_crack_abuse/article.htm
      3. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/drug-addiction/basics/symptoms/con-20020970
      4. ↑ http://www.addictions.com/crack-addiction/recognizing-top-5-crack-addiction-symptoms/
      5. ↑ http://www.addictions.com/crack-addiction/recognizing-top-5-crack-addiction-symptoms/
      6. ↑ http://www.narconon.org/drug-abuse/signs-symptoms-cocaine-use.html
      7. ↑ http://www.narconon.org/drug-abuse/signs-symptoms-cocaine-use.html
      8. ↑ http://www.narconon.org/drug-abuse/signs-symptoms-cocaine-use.html
      9. ↑ http://www.medicinenet.com/cocaine_and_crack_abuse/article.htm
      1. ↑ http://www.medicinenet.com/cocaine_and_crack_abuse/article.htm
      2. ↑ http://www.narconon.org/drug-abuse/signs-symptoms-cocaine-use.html
      3. ↑ http://www.highlandridgehospital.com/addiction/cocaine/effects-signs-symptoms
      4. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/expert-answers/heart-rate/faq-20057979
      5. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/expert-answers/heart-rate/faq-20057979
      6. ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC181074/
      7. ↑ http://www.narconon.org/drug-abuse/signs-symptoms-cocaine-use.html
      8. ↑ http://www.medicinenet.com/cocaine_and_crack_abuse/article.htm
      9. ↑ http://www.medicinenet.com/cocaine_and_crack_abuse/article.htm
      10. ↑ http://www.pdrhealth.com/diseases/drug-abuse/symptoms
      11. ↑ http://www.narconon.org/drug-abuse/signs-symptoms-cocaine-use.html
      12. ↑ http://www.medicinenet.com/cocaine_and_crack_abuse/article.htm
      13. ↑ http://www.medicinenet.com/cocaine_and_crack_abuse/article.htm
      14. ↑ http://www.narconon.org/drug-abuse/signs-symptoms-cocaine-use.html
      15. ↑ http://www.narconon.org/drug-abuse/signs-symptoms-cocaine-use.html
      16. ↑ http://www.highlandridgehospital.com/addiction/cocaine/effects-signs-symptoms
      17. ↑ http://www.highlandridgehospital.com/addiction/cocaine/effects-signs-symptoms
      18. ↑ http://www.highlandridgehospital.com/addiction/cocaine/effects-signs-symptoms
      19. ↑ http://www.highlandridgehospital.com/addiction/cocaine/effects-signs-symptoms
      20. ↑ http://www.twelveoaksrecovery.com/cocaine/withdrawals-effects/
      21. ↑ http://www.medicinenet.com/cocaine_and_crack_abuse/article.htm
      22. ↑ http://www.twelveoaksrecovery.com/cocaine/withdrawals-effects/
      23. ↑ http://www.medicinenet.com/cocaine_and_crack_abuse/article.htm
      24. ↑ http://www.medicinenet.com/cocaine_and_crack_abuse/article.htm
      25. ↑ http://www.medicinenet.com/cocaine_and_crack_abuse/article.htm
      26. ↑ http://www.narconon.org/drug-abuse/signs-symptoms-cocaine-use.html
      27. ↑ http://www.twelveoaksrecovery.com/cocaine/withdrawals-effects/
      28. ↑ http://www.twelveoaksrecovery.com/cocaine/withdrawals-effects/
      29. ↑ http://www.twelveoaksrecovery.com/cocaine/withdrawals-effects/
      30. ↑ http://www.twelveoaksrecovery.com/cocaine/withdrawals-effects/
      31. ↑ http://www.narconon.org/drug-abuse/signs-symptoms-cocaine-use.html
      32. ↑ http://www.narconon.org/drug-abuse/signs-symptoms-cocaine-use.html
      33. ↑ http://www.medicinenet.com/cocaine_and_crack_abuse/article.htm

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      If you think someone is abusing cocaine, look for physical symptoms like dilated pupils and nasal issues. Since many cocaine users snort it, someone who is abusing cocaine will likely suffer from nosebleeds, a decreased sense of smell, and damaged nostrils. Also check for puncture marks on the person’s arms, as some users inject cocaine intravenously with a syringe. In addition to physical symptoms, watch for behavioral ones, like overly-energetic behavior and uncharacteristic risk-taking. People who abuse cocaine might also leave evidence behind after using, so keep an eye out for hollowed-out pens, straws, and razor blades with powdery residue on the edges. For more help from our co-author, like how to look for signs of crack cocaine use, scroll down.

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