Cocaine Abuse Information, Cocaine History

Crack Abuse Information

According to data from the Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring (ADAM) Program, a median of 30.1% of adult male arrestees and 35.3% of adult female arrestees tested positive for cocaine (all varieties) at arrest in 2003. The adult male samples were compiled from 39 U.S. sites and the adult female samples were compiled from 25 sites. A median of 17.2% of adult male arrestees and 24.5% of adult female arrestees reported using crack cocaine at least once in the year before being arrested.

Past Crack Cocaine Use by Arrestees, 2003

Past Crack Cocaine Use by Arrestees	Male	Female
Used in past 7 days	12.9%	20.0%
Used in past 30 days	13.8	20.5
Used in past year	17.2	24.5
Avg. # of days used in past 30 days	8.1 days	10.1 days

Health Effects

Cocaine is a strong central nervous system stimulant. Physical effects of cocaine use, including crack, include constricted blood vessels and increased temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure. Users may also experience feelings of restlessness, irritability, and anxiety.

Smoking crack delivers large quantities of the drug to the lungs, producing effects comparable to intravenous injection. These effects are felt almost immediately after smoking, are very intense, but do not last long.For example, the high from smoking cocaine may last from 5 to 10 minutes, while the high from snorting the drug can last for 15 to 20 minutes.