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Cocaine

Brief Description

Cocaine is a powerfully addictive stimulant drug made from the leaves of the coca plant native to South America. It produces short-term euphoria, energy, and talkativeness in addition to potentially dangerous physical effects like raising heart rate and blood pressure. Learn more

Statistics and Trends

2012 Monitoring the Future (MTF) Study: for 8th-Graders, 10th-Graders, and 12th-Graders (in percent)*
Drug Time
Period		 8th-
Graders		 10th-
Graders		 12th-
Graders
Cocaine Lifetime 1.9 3.3 4.9
Past Year 1.2 2 2.7
Past Month [0.5] 0.8 1.1
Crack
Cocaine		 Lifetime [1] 1.4 2.1
Past Year [0.6] 0.8 1.2
Past Month [0.3] 0.4 0.6

* Data in brackets indicate statistically significant change from the previous year.

Previous MTF Data

 

2011 National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) for Ages 12 and Older (in percent)*
Drug Time
Period		 Ages 12 or
Older		 Ages
12-17		 Ages
18-25		 Ages 26
or Older
Cocaine Lifetime 14.3 1.3 [12.4] 16.3
Past Year [1.5] 0.9 4.6 [1]
Past Month 0.5 0.3 1.4 0.4
Crack
Cocaine		 Lifetime [3.2] 0.3 [2.1] [3.7]
Past Year [0.2] 0.1 [0.3] 0.2
Past Month [0.1] 0.0 [0.1] 0.1

* Data in brackets indicate statistically significant change from the previous year.

Previous NSDUH Data

 

Featured Publications

Cocaine (DrugFacts)

Revised April 2013.
Provides basic facts about cocaine, including how it affects the brain, other health consequences of its use, treatment options, and statistics on cocaine abuse among youth. En Español

Publication Cover

Cocaine: Abuse and Addiction (Research Reports)

Published May 1999. Revised September 2010.
Describes the latest research findings on cocaine, exploring the scope of abuse in the U.S., its potential long- and short-term health effects, maternal cocaine use, and treatment approaches. En Español

Publication Cover

Cocaine (Mind Over Matter)

Published January 1997. Revised January 2009.
Explores with young teens how cocaine changes the way nerve cells communicate in the brain and the negative effects the drug can have on the body. En Español

3D Illustration of the Human Brain

The Brain & the Actions of Cocaine, Opiates, and Marijuana (Teaching Packets)

Revised January 2007.
The first in a 5-part series, offers an understanding of the brain, how the reward center works, and what happens in the brain when a person uses cocaine, opiates (heroine), or marijuana.

View more related publications

Related Resources

NIDA Therapy Manuals for Cocaine Addiction (Archives):

Other Resources

Past information on many drugs of abuse is available on our Archives site.

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This page was last updated December 2011

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Other Articles of Interest

Research Report

Research Report Cover

Cocaine: Abuse and Addiction

Describes the latest research findings on cocaine, exploring the scope of abuse in the U.S., its potential long- and short-term health effects, maternal cocaine use, and treatment approaches.

Read more

Featured Publication

Featured Publication

Drugs, Brains, and Behavior - The Science of Addiction

As a result of scientific research, we know that addiction is a disease that affects both brain and behavior.

Read more
Easy-to-read Drug Facts

NIDA's Publication Series