If you’re curious about cocaine, or concerned about someone’s cocaine use, you might start to have questions about how the drug functions, how long cocaine stays in the system, or how addiction develops. If you’re a cocaine user yourself, perhaps you’re looking to educate yourself more on the substance and its effects on your body after last use.
This guide provides essential information about cocaine’s duration in the body, detection methods, risks, and available addiction treatment options.
How long someone can feel the effects of cocaine largely depends on how they are taking the drug. In general, effects can be felt for between 30-60 minutes, however it is often much shorter than this.
Several factors affect how long cocaine’s effects last in your system:
Here’s a breakdown of how long cocaine lasts based on different methods of consumption:
If someone is snorting cocaine, the drug is delivered to their bloodstream through the thin blood vessels in the nose and lungs. This results in quite quick delivery, with effects being felt within the first few minutes and lasting between 15-30 minutes.
If someone is smoking cocaine, particularly crack cocaine, the vaporizing of the drug means faster absorption by the blood vessels in the lungs. This leads to a much shorter and more intense high, with effects peaking within the first few minutes and lasting between 5-10 minutes.
If someone is injecting cocaine, the drug is delivered directly into their blood without the need for absorption at all. The effects are practically immediate and can peak within seconds, leading to a high of between 5-10 minutes.
If someone is swallowing cocaine, the drug needs to travel into the stomach and start to be digested to be absorbed by the lining of the stomach. This leads to a much slower onset of effects, within about 30 minutes, and lasting up to an hour.
While the euphoric effects of cocaine may be short-lived, the drug and its metabolites remain detectable in the body long after the last use. This information is particularly important for those concerned about drug testing or understanding the drug’s impact on their health.
Various factors affect how long cocaine stays in your system:
Cocaine is typically detectable in urine for about 1-3 days after use. However, this can vary depending on the frequency and quantity of cocaine used, someone’s individual metabolism, and what type of drug test is being conducted.
In some cases where people are using high amounts of cocaine for longer periods of time, cocaine could be detectable over a longer period, up to 5 days. Urine tests are one of the most common ways to detect cocaine, as they’re relatively non-invasive and have a reasonable detection window.
Different testing methods can detect cocaine for varying periods after last use:
It is important not to attempt to “flush out” your system using excessive water intake, juices, “cleanses,” supplements, or “medicines” that promise you a “clean” test. These attempts to beat the system can pose massive risks to your health and result in cardiac events, gastrointestinal distress, and potential kidney damage.
Cocaine use, even casually, can have some significant risks. It’s important to remember that illicit drug use can affect many aspects of a person’s life.
It is important to note that all of these risks are significantly higher if you’re taking cocaine simultaneously with other drugs. This is true even for prescription medications.
Many people start using cocaine at parties or in clubs to get a boost to their night. However, the ecstatic sensations and wild nights can start to be a high that you’re chasing more and more.
Cocaine works on the central nervous system of the brain as a stimulant by targeting the pleasure neurotransmitters. Cocaine blocks the reabsorption of dopamine by the brain, resulting in a flooding of dopamine into the synaptic gaps between neurons. Norepinephrine uptake is also inhibited, creating a similar ‘flooding’ effect that increases feelings of alertness and energy.
The effects of cocaine include increased energy, alertness, and confidence, as well as reduced fatigue and appetite. However, these effects are usually short-lived, leading to a “crash” characterized by feelings of depression, anxiety, and extreme fatigue when the drug wears off.
Cocaine’s influence on the brain’s reward system and the reinforcement of drug-seeking behaviors are key factors in its high addiction potential. Chronic use can lead to significant changes in brain function and structure, contributing to long-lasting cognitive and emotional impairments.
If you’re wondering if your cocaine use, or the cocaine use of someone you love, is starting to get out of hand, some good questions to ask yourself can be:
It’s important to note that you do not necessarily need to identify as having an addiction, or meet the criteria above to have a problematic relationship with cocaine. It’s possible that you may want to reduce or stop your use because of how it affects you and your life without being a “cocaine addict”.
Clinic Les Alpes is a world-leader in cocaine addiction treatment and rehabilitation. If you have a friend or family member suffering from cocaine addiction, or other addictions, we can help.
Located in the hills by Lake Geneva, people looking to start their recovery journey can do so in complete privacy, security, and comfort. Offering a luxury experience and 24/7 access to medical staff, family and friends can rest assured that their loved ones are safe in their detox and treatment.
Under the guidance of dedicated personal therapists, individuals collaborate closely with our comprehensive interdisciplinary team to devise a personalized treatment plan that supports their participation in our Minnesota Model-based program. Our team utilizes a wide range of evidence-based treatments and approaches to empower patients in their recovery journey, encompassing therapeutic interventions, psychoeducational sessions, and complementary therapies. These methods address the comprehensive spectrum of physical and psychological aspects associated with addiction.
If you would like more information about our cocaine addiction treatment programs, please do not hesitate to contact us. Our team is available to answer any questions about referrals, our treatments, and facilities.
While cocaine use can start out innocently enough, it’s an extremely powerful drug, and the risks it poses to its users should not be overlooked. Understanding how long cocaine lasts in your system and how it affects your body is just the beginning; taking action to protect yourself and others is difficult, but with support, it is not impossible.
For those who find themselves asking “How long does cocaine last in the system” or “How long does cocaine keep you high for,” it may be that you would benefit from seeking out more support from a loved one or a professional. Remember that cocaine addiction treatment is available, and recovery is possible with the right help and resources.you would benefit from seeking out more support from a loved one or a professional.
