Cocaine is a stimulant drug; it has been used for thousands of years, originating from South America. The Erthroxylon coca (coca leaves) were chewed and ingests, creating a sense of euphoria. (1)
People chew the coca to produce higher energy levels and a reduction in appetite. When these leaves are processed into crack cocaine, it is artificially concentrated in order to produce a higher intensity effect.
Cocaine hydrochloride was extracted from the plant over a hundred years ago. Today, people abuse cocaine in multiple forms, ranging from snorting to injecting. As an illegal substance, cocaine produces psychoactive effects and is deemed a powerful and effective stimulant for the central nervous system.
It was originally used for medical purposes, specifically as an anaesthetic. The ‘free base’ is a smokable form of cocaine, known as crack.
It’s form:
Both of these come in the form of white powder. (2)
However, cocaine is commonly cut with a variety of ingredients to make It stretch further, as a financial incentive for the dealer. These fillers are harmful and very toxic; occasionally, these toxins are used to mimic the effects of cocaine’s natural properties.
This creates a high risk of harm or death, even for experienced users. These can also make cocaine more addictive.
The process: (3)
If you are a regular user of cocaine, you have probably guessed that what you are taking is not pure cocaine.
Can you ever really know what’s in your cocaine? No, but here are some possible additives.
These substances can make up to 80% of the actual product sold; it’s the same as ordering a vodka soda at the bar, but they swap most of the soda with harmful substances like bleach. (4)
Common additives include: (5)
More often than not, cocaine is cut with psychoactive ingredients. These are much cheaper ‘highs’, such as caffeine to mimic cocaine’s original effects. The more dangerous ingredients consist of: (6)
Sometimes cocaine can be known as a ‘death hit’, due to the poisons contained and the lethal consequences. (7)
A common ingredient, included in nearly 40% of street cocaine was found to be levamisole. Levamisole is an anthelmintic medication; this is a synthetic drug used to treat cancer in animals, and destroy parasitic worms. This has been proven to be the cause of some deaths.
The DEA stated that over 80% of cocaine contained levamisole in 2011, whilst cocaine in 2005 only contained 2%. They suspected that it’s added because it adds dramatically to the weight of cocaine, adding to its financial value.
This is also a masked additive; it is practically impossible to detect levamisole in cocaine, so it is sometimes used to prevent the detection of other additives.
However, levamisole can lead to a condition called agranulocytosis; because levamisole attacks white blood cells, this severely weakens the immune system. This puts you at high risk of infections, even from injuries as small as a cut.
Strychnine is also mixed with cocaine on occasion, another toxic ingredient. This is a bitter and extremely poisonous ingredient; extracted from nux vomica plants, it is commonly used in rat poison but occasionally used as a stimulant.
However, strychnine’s psychological symptoms parallel the negative symptoms of drugs, such as:
There are physical symptoms associated such as muscle spasms and pain, with an arching of the neck or back. These effects such as jaw tension mimic meth and ecstasy, so can be easily confused.
If you have tried cocaine, you will know of its numbing effects. This is a natural side effect on the nose and throat, and the sole reason as to why cheap and legal anaesthetics are often mixed with cocaine.
The most common are:
Researchers have said that these make street cocaine feel a higher quality than it actually is. However, these substances do not contribute to the actual high of the drug, but gives off the façade of expensive and high-quality cocaine.
This is part of a long history of anaesthetics being used in cocaine, but this can lead to many health complications for the heart and lungs, and can create issues if you ever need anaesthetics for medical procedures.
There are many substances that are added to cocaine, mixed solely to add weight or substance. These can range for baby power, to various sugars; these weaken the cocaine, but are non-toxic when mixed in.
Other fillers include:
These fillers are usually non-toxic, but can be dangerous in large amounts. As proven, you can never really know what is in your cocaine, whether it be anaesthetic, baby powder, or levamisole. It is best not to take the risk.
[1] 2021, July 9. What is Cocaine?. Retrieved from https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/cocaine/what-cocainee on 2022, March 17
[2] https://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/drug-profiles/cocaine_en
[3] Jeri FR. Coca-paste smoking in some Latin American countries: a severe and unabated form of addiction. Bull Narc. 1984;36(2):15-31.
[4] Kudlacek O, Hofmaier T, Luf A, et al. Cocaine adulteration. J Chem Neuroanat. 2017;83-84:75-81. doi:10.1016/j.jchemneu.2017.06.001
[5] https://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/cocaine/Cocaine_Insights_2021_2.pdf
[6] O’donnell JK, Halpin J, Mattson CL, Goldberger BA, Gladden RM. Deaths Involving Fentanyl, Fentanyl Analogs, and U-47700 – 10 States, July-December 2016. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2017;66(43):1197-1202. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6643e1
[7] Frances RJ, Miller SI, Mack AH. Clinical Textbook of Addictive Disorders, Third Edition. Guilford Press; 2005.)
[8] Ciccarone D. Stimulant abuse: pharmacology, cocaine, methamphetamine, treatment, attempts at pharmacotherapy. Prim Care. 2011;38(1):41-58. doi:10.1016/j.pop.2010.11.004
Boris is our editor-in-chief at Rehab 4 Addiction. Boris is an addiction expert with more than 20 years in the field. His expertise covers a broad of topics relating to addiction, rehab and recovery. Boris is an addiction therapist and assists in the alcohol detox and rehab process. Boris has been featured on a variety of websites, including the BBC, Verywell Mind and Healthline. You can connect with Boris online at LinkedIn or X.com.
