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- Info & Advice on Drugs In Scotland

Cocaine: the Reality

A new Scottish Executive campaign highlighting the dangers of cocaine launches today.

Despite it being glamorised by the media as a celebrity trend, cocaine is one of the most addictive of drugs.

It's accessibility and perceived social acceptability doesn’t change the fact that the use of cocaine can have serious consequences.

The hard facts

  • Cocaine is very addictive.
  • It's a Class A drug: possession can get you up to seven years.
  • A gram costs £40-£60: it can quickly get you into financial trouble.
  • Cocaine gives you a false sense of confidence.
  • Snorting it can destroy your nasal passages.
  • It can give you panic attacks.
  • You can die from a cocaine overdose.

What is it and what does it do?

Cocaine is a stimulant. This means it raises the body temperature, makes the heart beat faster and stops you feeling hungry.

It comes in the form of a white powder, normally in a paper or plastic wrap.

It is divided into lines on a smooth surface and sniffed or snorted up the nose through a rolled-up banknote or a straw. It can also be dissolved and injected using needles and syringes.

Cocaine is also known as coke, charlie, C, white, percy, snow and toot.

It's very addictive

When the effects start to wear off, there's a strong temptation to take more. People who get into cocaine often find they begin to crave it more and more.

Because the effects wear off relatively quickly (20 to 30 minutes), it's easy to spend a lot of money on cocaine and get yourself into financial trouble. A gram of cocaine generally costs between £40 and £60.

Possession can get you up to seven years in prison

Cocaine is a Class A drug. This means it is illegal to have, give away or sell cocaine. Possessing cocaine can get you up to seven years in prison.

Supplying someone else with cocaine can get you life in prison and an unlimited fine. By law, passing drugs among friends is classed as supplying. Some countries may refuse visas to people who have drug convictions.

Find out more about Drugs and the Law.

It gives you a false sense of confidence

Cocaine is a stimulant.

It gives a false sense of confidence and makes users feel more sociable and alert.

This might lead you to take risks you might not otherwise take.

The dangers: short term

You can die from a cocaine overdose.

  • High doses can raise the body's temperature, cause convulsions and stop you breathing. The risk of overdosing increases if cocaine is mixed with heroin, barbiturates or alcohol.
  • Injecting a mixture of cocaine and heroin, known as a 'speedball', is one of the most dangerous mixes you can use. It could kill you.
  • Misusing cocaine with alcohol or other drugs puts an extra strain on your liver and kidneys.

The dangers: long-term

Cocaine is bad news for anybody with high blood pressure or a heart condition. But perfectly healthy, young people can also have a fit or a heart attack after taking cocaine. You may not know you have a heart condition, but even if you don't you could still be in trouble.

  • If you sniff too much cocaine, it can destroy your nasal passages.
  • People who use cocaine regularly often develop serious problems with anxiety and paranoia. It's a known cause of panic attacks.
  • Using cocaine often can severely reduce your sex drive.
  • Injecting any drug can damage veins and cause ulcers and gangrene. Dirty or shared needles and other injecting equipment can spread HIV and hepatitis.
  • Taking cocaine when you're pregnant can damage your baby. Cocaine causes miscarriage, premature labour and smaller babies. It may also cause other abnormalities in babies at birth. Babies born to mothers who keep using cocaine throughout their pregnancy show severe withdrawal symptoms.

First aid

If in doubt, call 999.

If someone has taken cocaine and becomes unconscious, put them in the recovery position. Tell the medical staff what drugs they have taken (if you know). This could save that person's life.

Help

If you are concerned about drugs or are worried about someone who is, or simply to find out more about the facts, you can call free and in confidence, the Know the Score information line on: 0800 587 587 9.

There's someone available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Calls from landlines are free and will not show up on your phone bill.

Information about services near you are available from the information line and on the Local Areas page of this website. Also, you can ask your GP to refer you to a specialist drugs service.

01/03/05

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