With about 2 million cocaine users [1] in America each year, cocaine has become a widespread drug in the US. Also known as coke, blow, nose candy, and snow, this stimulant drug is characterized for its euphoric, energetic high.
Sometimes, cocaine is used recreationally, but about 1 million people suffer from cocaine use disorder (CUD), which can lead to overdose and even death. With the introduction of fentanyl, cocaine use has become more dangerous than ever as it’s often cut with this deadly drug.
Read on to learn more about the different smells of cocaine, visual characteristics, and how to identify and help someone who is suffering from CUD.
Cocaine comes in many different forms, each one with its own distinct scent, however all forms have a sharp, somewhat bitter aroma. However, different additives will alter the scent of cocaine. The following additions to cocaine contribute to its different characteristics of smell:
It’s important to keep in mind that fentanyl, one of the deadliest cocaine additives that is responsible for thousands of deaths a year, is not able to be identified in cocaine by scent alone. Always use a testing strip to ensure cocaine is not laced with fentanyl.
Powder cocaine is one of the most common kinds of cocaine and looks like white powder. This type often smells bitter, or has a chemical-like smell to it. Others report it sometimes smelling like vinegar.
A burnt rubber or plastic smell is one of the most identifiable ways to recognize crack cocaine. This smell is most prevalent when it comes to heating up the crack cocaine when it is going to be smoked. The distinct smell of crack cocaine is due to the additives that it carries.
Similar to crack cocaine, freebase cocaine has a chemical or burnt rubber smell to it. This is because freebase cocaine is made by removing the hydrochloride from the powdered version of cocaine and adding ether or ammonia instead.
Liquid or injectable cocaine smells pretty similar to powdered cocaine, except it has a less potent scent. Liquid/injectable cocaine is made by taking the original powder form or crack cocaine and turning it into a solution that can be injected into the veins.
Fentanly is an incredibly dangerous substance. About 74,000 deaths occur each year because of fentanyl, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [2]. Part of what makes fentanyl so deadly is its ability to go undetected in laced drugs.
There is no telling that a substance, like cocaine, has been laced with fentanyl simply by smell or look alone. In order to determine if a substance has been laced with fentanyl, you will require a fentanyl testing kit.
The best way to avoid death by overdosing on fentanyl is by avoiding drugs at all costs, because you never know when something will be laced or not.
Cocaine usually doesn’t smell different depending on the paraphernalia used; however, sometimes paraphernalia will scorch or smoke which could contribute to a burning smell. This especially happens with paraphernalia that is cheap or hasn’t been used in a while.
Here are the most common types of cocaine paraphernalia:
Cocaine can look like different things depending on the form.
Powdered cocaine looks like a white powdery substance, often likened to flour or baby powder. It can also look like other kinds of drugs, like heroin or meth. Cocaine tends to be white or off-white in color.
Crack cocaine looks like rocks, or crystals. They vary in size and shape, and can look either white, off-white, or yellowish.
Signs of cocaine use range from subtle to obvious, and there are many types of signs, such as behavioral, physical, cognitive, and psychosocial. The behavioral and physical symptoms are amongst the easiest kinds of symptoms to identify cocaine use by.
If you suspect a loved one of cocaine use, keep an eye out for the following common signs of cocaine use.
Behavioral symptoms:
Physical symptoms:
Cognitive symptoms:
Psychosocial symptoms:
It can be difficult to determine if any one of these symptoms alone are attitudes to cocaine abuse, since many of the symptoms in this list overlap with other symptoms from different conditions. However, if you suspect someone you know is addicted to cocaine, learn the symptoms and compassionately talk to them about your worries. Offer to connect them to resources and state your support in their recovery.
If you or a loved one is addicted to cocaine, do not lose hope. There are various treatment options [3] to help you recover and lead a fulfilling, addiction-free life.
There are no known medications that can actively help with cocaine addiction; however, there are different behavioral therapies that have been proven to help those with CUD recover and break free from cocaine addiction. These cocaine addiction treatment options include:
If you or a loved one has a cocaine addiction or is struggling with cocaine use disorder, contact Gratitude Lodge, a compassionate, insurance-covered addiction treatment center in Southern California.
Battling cocaine use disorder on your own can be difficult—give yourself a fighting chance by attending rehab and addiction treatment at Gratitude Lodge. Many of our own staff and founders are in recovery themselves, which means that from the moment you step into our addiction treatment center, you’re treated with compassion and genuine understanding.
Every person goes through different struggles with addiction, which is why we tailor each treatment program to an individual’s needs. Some of our therapies include:
Begin your recovery journey today—call us at 844-576-0144.
Sources
[1] https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aax1532
[2] https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/nchs_press_releases/2024/20240515.htm
[3] https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/cocaine#treated
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