How is Cocaine used?

Cocaine is known to a very powerful and addictive drug. This is actually a powdered hydrochloride salt form of cocaine.

There are different ways by which cocaine can be administered into the body. These different methods have different and adverse affect on the body including heart disease.  All these method causes addiction and also increases the risk of contracting AIDS/HIV.

The first method is by injecting the substance with the help of syringe. The cocaine is mixed with water then it is injected directly into the bloodstream with the help of syringe.

Then second method is by administering cocaine through the mucous membrane of the nose. This method is called snorting.  This is absorbed into the bloodstream through the nasal tissue.

The third method is called freebasing. The cocaine hydrochloride is converted to freebase and then it is smoked.  Smoking involves inhaling the cocaine vapor into the lungs which gets absorbed into the bloodstream.

It is called crack cocaine. It is called crack because it caused a cracking sound when heated. In this cocaine hydrochloride is mixed with ammonia or sodium bicarbonate and other substance which causes it to become solid into pellets. This is then smoked with glass pipes.

By the injecting method of the use of cocaine reached the bloodstream faster. Thus reaches the brain quickly. Thus the high is quicker in this method of administration. But the duration of its affect is very short. The high affect from snorting lasts longer on the other hand the affect from smoking is very less. For this reason the cocaine user has to use the substance repeatedly to be in high. They are end up using the substance frequently with short intervals and with increased dosage.

The effect of the use of cocaine includes high energy, mental alertness. This is reasons cocaine is so addictive.