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Cocaine / Crack

Street terms for cocaine:

Blow, Nose Candy, Snowball, Tornado, Wicky Stick

What are the different forms of cocaine?

• White crystalline powder
• "Crack" or "rock" cocaine is an off-white chunky material.

How is cocaine used?

• Powder cocaine is generally snorted or dissolved in water and injected.
• Crack cocaine is usually smoked.

Who uses cocaine?

• Cocaine is the second most commonly used illicit drug in the United States.
• About 10 percent of Americans over the age of 12 have tried cocaine at least once in their lifetime, about 2 percent have tried crack, and nearly one percent is currently using cocaine.

How does cocaine get to the United States?

• The United States-Mexico border is the primary point of entry for cocaine shipments being smuggled into the United States.
• Organized crime groups based in Colombia control the worldwide supply of cocaine.

How much does cocaine cost?

• Cocaine prices depend upon the purity of the product.
• In 2001, cocaine purity declined by 8 percent, from 86 percent pure in 1998 to a 78 percent pure in 2001. The decrease in purity indicates a decrease in the supply of cocaine in the United States.
• Cocaine remained low and stable, which suggests a steady supply to the United States.
• Nationwide, prices ranged from $12,000 to $35,000 per kilogram.

What are some consequences of cocaine use?

• Cocaine is powerfully addictive.
• Smoking crack can cause severe chest pains with lung trauma and bleeding.
• The mixing of cocaine and alcohol create cocaethylene while increasing risk of sudden death.
• Cocaine-related deaths are often a result of cardiac arrest or seizures followed by respiratory arrest.

Source: Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)