Cocaine: Staying safe and cutting down
This page will tell you about the side effects of cocaine, ways to keep yourself safer and tips for cutting down or quitting.
Cocaine is one of the most common recreational drugs. It’s important to know how to stay safer when using it, and how to take steps to cut down or quit.
It can be difficult to address your drug use, but it’s also the first step towards positive change. There’s no shame in seeking help, and there's lots of support and advice available.
You can use our online webchat to speak to someone and get advice straight away.
If you’re looking for more support to cut down or quit, you can contact your local Change Grow Live service. We will work with you to come up with a treatment that suits you, and provide any extra support you need along the way.
Our services are free and confidential, and everyone is welcome.
Understand cocaine
Cocaine comes in two forms:
- A fine white powder. Usually, people snort small lines of powdered cocaine, but it can also be injected, or wrapped in cigarette paper and swallowed.
- Yellowish-white crystals that look like rocks, called crack cocaine. People usually smoke crack.
The advice on this page is about cocaine as a powder, not about crack cocaine. You can get advice and information about crack from DrugWise.
Cocaine is a stimulant drug that can make you feel excited and full of energy. The effects begin after about 15-20 minutes, and usually last for around an hour, depending on how much you take.
If you use cocaine regularly, your body will build up a tolerance and you will need to take more each time to achieve the same effects. These higher doses increase the risk of seizures, heart failure, lung disease and strokes.
Cocaine use can also lead to insomnia, anxiety and an unpleasant comedown.
If you’re worried about your drug use, our quick quiz can help you find out what steps to take.
Take our drug advice quiz
Speak to a member of our online team using our webchat
Keep yourself safe when using cocaine
The best way to keep yourself safe is to avoid using drugs completely. But if you do take cocaine, there are some simple steps you can take to lower the risks.
- Cocaine is increasingly being cut with other substances, so try and buy from trusted sources and get a self-testing kit from your local drug and alcohol service.
- Try not to use drugs alone. It’s best to be with people you trust, who can call for help if you need it.
- Don’t mix cocaine with other substances, especially alcohol. Taking cocaine with any other substance can cause a bad reaction, and mixing it with alcohol can be particularly dangerous. Alcohol and cocaine make a new substance (cocaethylene) that stays in your body longer and can lead to an overdose.
- Start with a very small amount and see how you feel. Not all cocaine has the same purity and strength, so it is hard to judge the dose. Stick to small lines to avoid taking too much.
- Don’t use or share banknotes to snort cocaine. They can be dirty and can spread blood-borne viruses. If you’re using a straw or a tube, don’t share it with other people. Use a clean surface for cutting up lines.
- Make sure you drink enough water. Cocaine can cause dehydration, so keep sipping water and other sugar-free drinks, and eat regularly.
- Know the signs of a cocaine overdose: your heart going too fast, a very high temperature, feeling sick and vomiting, chest pains, seizures, or panic and anxiety.
- Naloxone temporarily reverses opioid overdose. It doesn’t work on cocaine, as it is not an opioid. However, we are seeing more cases of cocaine being contaminated with dangerous synthetic opiates, so carrying and using naloxone is still recommended. If someone has not consumed opioids, naloxone won’t harm them. If they have – it could save their life.
Read more about naloxone and where to get free kits.
If you think you or someone else is having an overdose, call 999 straight away. Don’t be scared that you’ll get in trouble. The ambulance will not bring the police with them except in very particular cases.
How to cut down or quit cocaine
If you're thinking of addressing your cocaine use, don't be afraid to reach out for help.
There are also some steps you can take yourself to help you cut down or quit:
- Look out for triggers that make you want to do cocaine, such as when you drink, or when you’re with certain people, for example.
- If you can identify your triggers, you can start to make a plan. You might want to cut some triggers out completely or avoid combinations that give you cravings. Changing habits or breaking off contact with certain friends can be difficult, but it helps in the long term.
- If you usually take cocaine after drinking, you might want to cut down on alcohol as well. Some people don't use cocaine while they're sober, but are more likely to take risks while they're drinking. Read our advice on cutting down your drinking.
- Work out how much money you spend on cocaine each month - it might shock you. Make a list of all the other things you could do with that money.
- Make a list of all the reasons you don’t want to take cocaine, like 'I’ll have a better relationship with my friends and family.' Use this list to help you stay focused.
You can find lots more tips here to help you cut down or stop taking drugs.
If you have a dependency, please speak to a professional before stopping using cocaine suddenly. You might get withdrawal symptoms, so it’s important to manage them carefully.
Get treatment and support
If you'd like to take steps to address your drug use, don’t be afraid to reach out for help. You’re not alone and there's nothing to be ashamed of.
There is lots of help and support available. Speak to your doctor about how you’re feeling and chat to supportive family and friends if you can.
Advice and support are always available from your local Change Grow Live service. If you’re struggling with drugs or alcohol, we’re here to help.