Can You Drink Cocaine? Risks, Effects & Symptoms

Cocaine and Drinking 

Mixing cocaine and alcohol together is one of the more common forms of polydrug abuse; people often mix these substances together because one may lessen the negative effects of the other. Alcohol enhances the euphoric effects of many drugs, since it acts indirectly on GABA receptors, thereby increasing the release of neurotransmitters. Cocaine is most likely to be mixed with alcohol. Mixing recreational drugs or cocaine together with other liquids to get high can be very dangerous.

History of Eating and Drinking Cocaine

Cocaine is a stimulant drug obtained from the leaves of two Coca species native to South America, Erythroxylum coca and Erythroxylum novogranatense. Leaves of the shrub Erythroxylum coca, the coca plant indigenous to Bolivia and Peru but cultivated also in Africa and Asia, have been chewed by individuals for centuries for their stimulant effects.

In 1860, cocaine, the alkaloid derivative of these leaves, was isolated and after 1884 used medically as the first effective local anesthetic. Physicians of no less stature than Sigmund Freud and William Hammond, one of the founders of modern neurology, advocated its merits for a time. It was available as an over-the counter remedy for hay fever, fatigue, melancholia, and ‘‘nerves.

’’ CocaCola, the popular soft drink, used it as an ingredient in the 1890’s, and Dr. Hammond promoted coca wine (a pint of wine laced with two grains of cocaine) which he drank with his meals. But the undesirous side effects associated with drinking cocaine-agitation, violence, and impaired judgment– led to its removal from Coca-Cola (1903) and to its classification as a prescription drug in the Harrison Act of 1914.

In a turn reminiscent of Dr. Hammond’s coca wine, current users frequently consume alcohol along with or prior to their cocaine use. Findings indicate that such concurrent use is common with 62-90% of cocaine abusers also being ethanol abusers. In addition, for cocaine abusers, the lifetime prevalence of alcoholism is about 60%. This figure is about twice that of heroin abusers and suggests some interactive effect may influence such a high rate of concurrent abuse.

Did Coca-Cola Ever Contain Cocaine?

Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, said in a tweet that he’d buy Coca-Cola “to put the cocaine back in.” The drink did once contain coca leaf extract, from which cocaine is derived. Coca-Cola’s history has been well-documented. The drink was invented in 1885 by John Pemberton, a pharmacist from Atlanta, Georgia, who made the original formula in his backyard. Pemberton’s recipe contained cocaine in the form of an extract of the coca leaf, which inspired the “Coca” part of the beverage’s name. The “Cola” comes from the kola nut (which contains caffeine, another stimulant). When Coca-Cola was invented, cocaine was legal and a common ingredient in medicines. People thought it was safe to use in small amounts. 

Pemberton described the drink as a “brain tonic and intellectual beverage,” and advertised it as a “patent medicine.” He claimed it cured headaches, upset stomach, and fatigue. Patent medicines were combinations of so-called “exotic” ingredients and drug compounds that—according to the people who made them—cured a wide range of ailments. But they often contained ingredients we now know can be addictive, including cocaine and opium, as well as toxic elements like mercury and lead. 

In the 19th century, patent medicines weren’t regulated like medications are today. Anyone could claim their product had health benefits without having to prove its effectiveness—or reveal its risks. As early as 1891, some Americans spoke out against including addictive ingredients in patent medicines. The makers revamped the medicines’ formulas, and their health claims, as a result. The amount of cocaine in Coca-Cola was reduced over time, and finally eliminated from the drink by 1929. This was during the Prohibition Era in the United States, when alcohol was illegal. Coke soon became popular as a “soft” drink, an alternative to hard alcohol. 

How is Cocaine Used?

Can You Inject Cocaine?

Dissolving cocaine in water and injecting it (intravenous use) releases the drug directly into the bloodstream and heightens the intensity of its effects. Injecting or “shooting” is almost always the riskiest way of taking drugs and is strongly discouraged. Intravenous (IV) cocaine use puts a person at serious risk for infection, because the very act of shooting cocaine involves breaking the skin and possibly creating an open wound. Injecting cocaine can result in permanent health conditions like hepatitis C or HIV/AIDS and can also cause dangerous blood infections like sepsis that are life-threatening.

Can You Smoke Cocaine?

When people smoke cocaine (inhalation), they inhale its vapor or smoke into the lungs, where absorption into the bloodstream is almost as rapid as by injection. This fast euphoric effect is one of the reasons that crack became enormously popular. After inhaling the smoke from crack cocaine, it only takes about 10-15 seconds before someone experiences an intense rush of euphoria.

Cocaine users may experience certain respiratory side effects within minutes or hours after smoking cocaine. There are potentially some long-term complications associated with smoking cocaine, too. Various respiratory issues are associated with chronic cocaine smoking, such as a chronic cough with chest pain and blackened sputum (blackened phlegm). Some people may even experience lung scarring and reduced lung capacity, making it difficult for some people to breathe normally.

Can You Eat Cocaine?

Eating cocaine is not common, nor is drinking cocaine in the traditional sense. However, it is not uncommon for users to rub the white powder form of cocaine along their gums, though they do not typically swallow it. This method of cocaine use is generally done when someone tests the cocaine product to see how pure it is. The more refined the cocaine, the more it will numb the gums. When cocaine is used orally by rubbing it on the gums, it quickly hits the bloodstream. This results in an intensified high but also puts the person in more danger.

What is Boofing Cocaine?

What is boofing? Boofing is a slang term used to ingest a drug through the anus to forgo typical digestion and quickly absorb chemicals directly into the bloodstream via the intestinal lining. It’s also called booty bumping, hooping, plugging, butt chugging, or UYB (up your bum). The main reason why people boof a substance like cocaine or meth is to reach a more rapid high, as drugs ingested in this method advance to the bloodstream considerably faster.

The effects of boofing cocaine are said to be more intense. The high felt from boofing cocaine is said to be felt more in the torso and limbs, as opposed to other methods of using cocaine that is typically regarded as a head rush. Boofing cocaine can cause severe damage to a person’s rectum, rectal tissue, and intestines, leaving them much more susceptible to infections of all kinds, including sexually transmitted infections (STIs). There is also a greater risk for cocaine overdose when boofing cocaine as someone might not realize that their average dose will be much more potent when taken this way.

What Does Cocaine Taste Like?

One of the easiest ways to identify cocaine is by the way it tastes; however, we never recommend that you taste cocaine in an effort to identify the drug. People usually describe the taste of cocaine as very tart and bitter. The different tastes of certain forms of cocaine are affected by which solvents and cutting agents are used in its production. For instance, freebase cocaine — while it looks visually identical to pure cocaine — has a more bitter taste due to the acids used to formulate and purify the extract from the coca leaves.

What is Coca Tea?

Coca is a plant. The leaves of the coca plant are the source of cocaine, which is an illegal drug Cocaine is also an FDA-approved Schedule II drug. This means cocaine can be prescribed by a healthcare provider, but the process is strictly regulated. The worry about cocaine is that it is unsafe and highly addictive. The cocaine found in coca can cause an increase in brain activity and have numbing (anesthetic) effects. It is illegal to bring coca leaves into the United States for any purpose, including for use for brewing tea or for chewing.

Can You Put Cocaine in a Drink?

Cocaine alone adversely affects the heart and drinking alcohol with it adds to that risk. While common, the combination of cocaine and alcohol together or even within a few hours of one another can be extremely risky because it increases heart rate and blood pressure, which further heightens the risk of a heart attack. 

Cocaine and alcohol also react within the liver to form a chemical known as cocaethylene, which has toxic effects on the heart, liver and other organs. This can happen even if cocaine and alcohol are used separately on consecutive days. 

Toxic levels of cocaethylene build-up in the liver have been linked to sudden death as well as the following negative physical consequences:

• Myocardial infarction (or painful heart attack)
• Cerebral infarction (damage to brain tissue, leading to stroke or aneurysm)
• Intracranial hemorrhage (bleeding in the brain)
• Cardiomyopathy (heart disease)
• Cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat)

What is “Cocaine Energy Drink”?

“Cocaine” is a brand of energy drink produced by a Las Vegas company. It contains no actual cocaine but is being marketed as “The Legal Alternative” to the illegal drug, according to its Web site. Its logo appears to be spelled out in a white powder that resembles the drug.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said the manufacturer of Cocaine Energy Drink is illegally marketing the drink as both a street drug alternative and a dietary supplement. The FDA cites as evidence the energy drink Cocaine’s own labeling and Web site, which include the statements “Speed in a Can,” “Liquid Cocaine Drink” and “Liquid Cocaine Energy Drink — Instant Rush,”

What Happens If You Drink Cocaine?

Both Cocaine and alcohol were commonly associated with partying and nightlife, so they are often mixed in social scenarios. However, people continue to abuse these drugs together, even outside of social situations, because the self-reported high associated with both is more intense than either drug alone. This can lead to abuse, addiction, dependence, and health consequences.

Side Effects of Cocaine and Drinking Alcohol

Mixing alcohol and cocaine can amplify the personal side effects of each substance. Additionally, there are many long-term and short-term side effects associated with alcohol and cocaine mix include:

Effects Of Drinking Cocaine

The effects of cocaine are intense and short-lived, regardless of the method of consumption. Those who drink cocaine are at risk for health problems that can include:

Cocaine overdose. In general, cocaine overdose depends on a person’s tolerance to cocaine. it takes a different dose of cocaine to cause an overdose in any person. Anything higher than five grams has been proven to cause heart attacks.

Cocaine effects on the brain. Heavy cocaine use can lead to seizure disorders and other neurological conditions. Cocaine use slows the glucose metabolism in your brain as well. That can cause the neurons in your brain to work more slowly or die off.

Cocaine and the heart. Cocaine use is always potentially deadly. The effects of crack cocaine increase your heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature. All of these changes strain your cardiovascular system.

Sex and cocaine. Cocaine is a potent dopamine agonist, and chronic crack abuse may result in hyperprolactinemia or a dopamine deficiency with sexual dysfunction. Crack cocaine and alcohol often leads to decreased libido and performance.

Cocaine and erectile dysfunction. After prolonged use, cocaine can alter the nervous system, leading to permanent erectile dysfunction. Cocaine contains toxins that harm healthy cells. 

Cocaine and depression. Cocaine use can cause damage to mental health. Cocaine directly interferes with dopamine being reabsorbed by neurons. One of the symptoms of a crack cocaine comedown is severe depression. 

Cocaine perforated septum. A cocaine perforated septum or a “cocaine septum hole” is a condition that is commonly caused by sniffing or snorting cocaine through the nose. What does cocaine smell like?

Cocaine and the liver. Long-term cocaine use increases the risk of overdose, and an overdose of cocaine floods the body with toxins the liver cannot filter, resulting in liver damage. 

Cocaine and the gastrointestinal system. An individual abusing cocaine might experience stomach pain, reduced appetite, vomiting, nausea, and constipation, all resulting from reduced blood flow throughout the body. Cocaine abuse might cause ischemic colitis, inflammation, and injury of the large intestine resulting in serious digestive problems and even death. 

Even sporadic use can lead to health complications such as high blood pressure, hardened arteries, bowel gangrene, and loss of gray matter in the brain due to the expansion of the brain’s reward center. Because cocaine eliminates appetite, many who use cocaine are also malnourished.

What Do Detox Drinks for Cocaine Do?

Detoxing From Cocaine

Many individuals who try to quit using cocaine alone believe they can manage their withdrawal symptoms alone. Unfortunately, self-medication doesn’t work to lessen cocaine withdrawal symptoms and typically makes addiction and substance misuse problems worse. It’s important to remember that cocaine detox should be done under medical supervision to ensure the user’s safety and avoid any possible negative effects from a relapse.

Cocaine Addiction Treatment

First and foremost, if you think a loved one is abusing cocaine, you should research the substances and their associated addiction to understand better what your loved one needs.  Next, you must plan an intervention to provide your loved ones with options to battle the effects of cocaine addiction in a safe and supportive environment. During this intervention, offer compassion and support instead of judgment. Lastly, show your support throughout the entire treatment process.

In addition, prolonged drug use can have severe physical and psychological effects on you, so it is essential to seek treatment as soon as possible. Inpatient drug rehab offers intensive care that can help you promptly get through the early stages of cocaine withdrawal. 

Cocaine Detox

Medical detox is often considered the first stage of treatment. It will help you navigate the complicated cocaine detox withdrawal but doesn’t address patterns of thought and behavior contributing to drug use. Various treatment approaches and settings can help provide the ongoing support necessary to maintain long-term sobriety after you complete the cocaine detox.

Cravings are very common during drug detox and can be challenging to overcome. This often leads to relapse. Constant medical care provided during inpatient treatment helps prevent relapse. Clinicians can give medication and medical expertise to lessen cravings and withdrawal symptoms.

Inpatient Cocaine Addiction Rehab

There isn’t one treatment approach or style that will suit everyone. Treatment should speak to the needs of the individual. Inpatient rehab and addiction treatment aren’t just about drug use. the goal is to help the patient stop using cocaine and other substances, but drug rehab should also focus on the whole person’s needs.

Addiction is a complex but treatable disease that affects brain function and behavior. When someone or their family is considering different treatment facilities, they should account for the complexity of addiction and the needs of the individual. The objective of attending an inpatient rehab center for addiction treatment is to stop using the drug and re-learn how to live a productive life without it.

Following a full medical detox, most people benefit from inpatient rehab. Inpatient drug rehab can last anywhere from 28 days to several months. Patients stay overnight in the rehab facility and participate in intensive treatment programs and therapy. Once someone completes rehab, their addiction treatment team will create an aftercare plan, which may include continuing therapy and participation in a 12-step program like Narcotics Anonymous.

Psychotherapy 

Many rehab programs will also have early morning classes or programs. Group sessions occur during inpatient rehab, as do individual therapy sessions. Family therapy may be part of inpatient rehab when it’s feasible. Alternative forms of therapy may be introduced during inpatient rehab, like a holistic therapy program, yoga for addiction recovery, or an addiction treatment massage therapy.

Several different modalities of psychotherapy have been used in the treatment of mental health disorders along with addiction, including:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – is an effective treatment that involves changing both the patterns of negative thoughts and the behavioral routines which are affecting the daily life of the depressed person for various forms of depression.
• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy – is a comprehensive mental health and substance abuse treatment program whose ultimate goal is to aid patients in their efforts to build a life worth living. The main goal of DBT is to help a person develop what is referred to as a “clear mind.” 
• Solution-focused therapy is an approach interested in solutions that can be quickly implemented with a simple first step leading to further positive consequences.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment

Drug abuse and mental health disorders often co-occur. Traumatic experiences can often result in mental health disorders and substance abuse. Dual-diagnosis rehabilitation treats both of these issues together. The best approach for the treatment of dual diagnosis is an integrated system. This strategy treats both the substance abuse problem and the mental disorder simultaneously. Regardless of which diagnosis (mental health or substance abuse problem) came first, long-term recovery will depend mainly on the treatment for both diseases done by the same team or provider.