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What is cocaine? | What is crack? | How is cocaine used? | How is crack used?
 How many people use crack? | How does cocaine work? | What are the effects of cocaine?
STDS and crack | History of crack | How dangerous is it to take crack or cocaine?
Definitions of addiction | Crack addiction and the illegal market | Maintaining the habit
Drug, set and setting |

What are the effects of cocaine?

In addition to affecting dopamine receptors, cocaine affects the peripheral nervous system.  Like other stimulants, it induces a reaction of the sympathetic nervous system, known as a ‘fight or flight’ reaction.  Physical symptoms can include:

  • Increased blood pressure
  • Increased respiration
  • Pupil dilation
  • Increased blood glucose
  • Increased heart rate
  • Blood flow diverted from digestion to skeletal muscles

Behavioral impacts of this include:

  • Increased alertness
  • Increased ability to concentrate
  • Wakefulness leading to insomnia
  • Elevation of mood, to the point of euphoria
  • Suppression of appetite

The acute effects of cocaine can, in rare cases, be fatal.  Ingestion of the drug can lead to irregular heartbeat, constricted blood vessels and, therefore, high blood pressure.  Heart attacks and seizures occur with sufficient frequency that the risk is not trivial.

The physical effects of both crack and cocaine are identical since the materials consist of the same chemical. It is the route of ingestion that affects the intensity and duration of the “high”.

See: “How Drugs Influence Behavior” by Jaime Diaz, 1997 Prentice-Hall, specifically chapter 8 “Stimulants: Drugs that Energize”)


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