Cocaine is a widely used stimulant drug made from the coca leaf found in South America. The drug is most commonly sold as a white crystallized powder the user snorts up their nose. It’s also available in its base form as crack cocaine, which is smoked. Cocaine statistics may show a decrease in overall usage, but the number of deaths associated with it has soared in the past 5 years.
Dangers of Abuse
When you take cocaine, the drug increases your levels of dopamine, the neurotransmitter associated with pleasure. Because it acts on the brain’s reward system, snorting cocaine can cause immediate but brief feelings of euphoria followed by a crash. A cocaine comedown or crash makes you feel depressed, irritable and exhausted. Over time, the brain becomes desensitized to normal levels of dopamine, requiring more cocaine to achieve the same high. The more of the drug you consume, the higher your chances of experiencing serious health complications.
Chronic cocaine use can induce paranoia, anxiety and hallucinations and exacerbate the symptoms of any underlying mental health issues. This emotional roller coaster can strain relationships, impair judgment and lead to risky behaviors.
The drug is particularly dangerous as it can cause an overdose even on your first try. Cocaine’s potency can elevate your heart rate and blood pressure to dangerous levels. The strain on your heart can increase the likelihood of heart attacks and strokes even in otherwise young and healthy people.
Snorting cocaine can cause permanent damage to the nasal passages and septum, while smoking crack cocaine may damage your lungs. In the long term, cocaine use can cause weight loss and weaken your immune system, leaving you vulnerable to infections.
How Many People Use Cocaine?
According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an estimated 2% of the U.S. population has tried cocaine at least once in their lives. In 2019 alone, around 5.5 million people aged 12 and over used the drug. Cocaine is the second most popular illegal drug in the country after cannabis.
Statistics about cocaine indicate its use and popularity have decreased. However, cocaine-related deaths have seen a worrying increase of almost 22%, with over 24,000 people losing their lives. That might be due to the increase of cocaine mixed with fentanyl by dealers.
Abuse by Demographics
Men historically had higher rates of cocaine use compared to women. In 2019, an estimated 1.4 million men and 600,000 women reported past-month cocaine use. The gendered gap might be due to biological differences and societal expectations between genders.
The survey reported that non-Hispanic white people had the highest prevalence of past-year cocaine use, followed by non-Hispanic Black people.
Cocaine Statistics by Age Groups
Those aged between 18 and 25 had the highest prevalence of past-year cocaine use, at 1.6%. Cocaine stats show significant differences in use across age groups. Young adults aged 18 to 25 had the highest rate of past-year cocaine use in 2019.
Approximately 1.1 million of them reported taking the drug in 2018. However, the use of the drug seems to decline after the age of 26. It’s not unheard of for older adults aged 65 and over to engage in cocaine use, and the risk of cocaine use is higher for older adults who also smoke marijuana.
Where Are the Most Drug Users?
Urban areas tend to have higher rates of cocaine use compared to rural areas. Factors such as availability, access to treatment resources and social norms may contribute to regional disparities in cocaine consumption.
In 2021, the states with the highest level of cocaine abuse were Vermont, Maryland and New York. Around 3.4% of Vermont’s residents have taken the drug. The states with the lowest rates of cocaine abuse in the country were Texas and Idaho.
If you’re worried about your or a friend’s cocaine use, you’ve reached the right place. National Rehab Hotline crisis specialists are here to take your call at all times, day or night. Recovery is possible, and we can help you get the support you need to beat your drug addiction.