Cocaine – also referred to as crack cocaine, rock, blow, and snow – is a highly powerful and addictive illicit stimulant. It’s known for its side effects and for quickly causing dependency in its users. How long cocaine stays in your system is dependent on various factors. As a drug and alcohol rehab in South Florida, we have firsthand experience with the effects of cocaine, their duration, and how long it can be detected in various drug tests.
How Long Does It Take for Cocaine Side Effects to Kick In?
Cocaine can be snorted, injected, smoked, or taken orally. The way cocaine is used affects how quickly its side effects take place, their duration, and the intensity of the high.
Some common cocaine effects include:
- Intense sense of euphoria
- Increased energy
- Increased alertness
- Increased heart rate
- Increased blood pressure
- Irritability
- Decreased appetite
- Headaches
- Seizures
- Convulsions
- Bowel decay, if swallowed or taken orally
- Frequent nose bleeds, if snorted
Injecting cocaine can also increase a person’s risk of contracting diseases like HIV, AIDS, and hepatitis. These side effects may vary in severity and duration depending on the way in which it was used. For example, smoking cocaine produces immediate side effects that can last for anywhere between five and 10 minutes. Snorting cocaine may cause a high that gradually progresses and lasts between 15 and 30 minutes. These side effects can hook a person within a few uses, quickly resulting in addiction.
Cocaine’s potency and addictive qualities make it a difficult drug to stop using. When people do attempt to stop using it on their own, they may experience severe withdrawal symptoms. If cocaine withdrawal is attempted without medical assistance, it can be life-threatening. At Seaside Palm Beach, we offer a luxury detox program that safely tapers patients off of drugs and alcohol, mitigates withdrawal side effects, and reduces addiction cravings.
How Long Do Cocaine Effects Last?
While cocaine is a powerful drug, it’s also fast-acting and only produces a high that can last anywhere between a few minutes and an hour.
Cocaine high duration depends on the dose, how long the person has been using it, and how it’s ingested:
-
- Injection: Effects can begin within 5 and 10 seconds and can last anywhere between 10 and 20 minutes
- Snorting: Effects can begin within 3-5 minutes and can last anywhere between 10 and 20 minutes
- Smoking: Effects can begin within 3-5 minutes and can last anywhere between 5 and 20 minutes
- Orally: Effects can begin within 10 and 30 minutes and can last anywhere between 45 and 90 minutes
While a cocaine high is powerful, it’s usually short-lived. Immediately following a high is a “crash” or period where the effects of cocaine quickly diminish. A cocaine crash can cause anxiety, depression, irritability, and fatigue. Because symptoms of cocaine wear off so quickly, users tend to ingest large doses of it at a time in order to sustain the high. This dangerous cycle is what causes cocaine addiction. We offer a safe, comfortable, and effective residential addiction treatment in Palm Beach that helps patients focus on their recovery by providing 24-hour care and medical assistance.
How Long Cocaine Stays In Your System
So, we’ve talked about its short-lived side effects, but how long does cocaine stay in your system? Cocaine’s half-life is about an hour, which means it takes 30 minutes for the body to eliminate half of it from its system. Cocaine is metabolized by enzymes in the liver and blood, making it nearly impossible for most drug screenings to detect it.
Below is a list of the duration of cocaine in the system according to different drug tests:
- Blood: Cocaine in the blood can be detected for up to 12 hours after the last use
- Urine: Cocaine duration in urine can last for up to three days; for chronic users, it can last two weeks
- Saliva: Cocaine can be detected in a person’s saliva for up to two days
- Hair: Cocaine can be detected in hair follicles for up to three months after the person’s last use. This can depend on how quickly a person’s hair grows
Cocaine is one of the deadliest drugs in the nation. A cocaine user’s finances, relationships, and health can all be affected by their addiction. At Seaside, we understand the dangers of cocaine addiction and how difficult it can be to quit without help. Our high-end rehab offers a variety of addiction treatment programs that cover a multitude of substance abuse disorders.
If you or a loved one is struggling with drug or alcohol abuse, we can help. Call us now at 888-280-4763 for more information about our addiction services.
