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Can You Eat Cocaine?

What is Cocaine? Can You Eat Cocaine? Why Would People Eat Cocaine? What Happens If You Eat Cocaine? Can You Get High From Eating Cocaine? Eating Cocaine vs Snorting. Flesh Eating Cocaine


What is Cocaine?

Cocaine is also known as benzoylmethylecgonine [1]. Benzoylecgonine is the compound tested for in most substantive cocaine drug tests. Cocaine is a highly addictive illegal drug used by 14-21 million people worldwide. In 2018, there were 874,000 new cocaine users [2]. If you want to learn about cocaine overdose and cocaine side effects and ask, “can you eat cocaine? ” you might also want to know, “what is cocaine made out of?”. Powder cocaine is highly addictive and can change the brain’s structure and function if used repeatedly. Treating cocaine withdrawal can involve cocaine detox and therapy in hospitals, therapeutic communities, or inpatient drug rehab settings.   

Can You Eat Cocaine?

Cocaine is a powerful stimulant most often used as a recreational drug. While cocaine can be ingested in several ways, the most common method is snorting the powder form of the drug. Cocaine is not meant to be eaten, and doing so can be extremely dangerous. The effects of cocaine are felt almost immediately after ingestion and can last up to an hour. Eating cocain can cause several serious health problems, including heart attack, stroke, and seizure. In some cases, eating cocaine can even be fatal.

Why Would People Eat Cocaine?

Why do people use cocaine? Cocaine can make the user feel euphoric, optimistic, wide awake, and confident. These effects, alongside the fact that many can drink alcohol while on the drug, make it clear why. People take cocaine recreationally as they will be able to release their inhibitions. 

However, when someone uses cocaine and goes through a period of a high, they must also come down, therefore, the well-known term comedown. Euphoria or any other symptoms associated with a high are, in a sense, paid for by the negative feelings that are experienced the next day.

Cocaine comes from the coca plant, typically found in South American countries. Some individuals in South America chewed the stimulating leaves to stay alert during long days of fieldwork. The purified chemical taken from coca leaves is cocaine hydrochloride, usually found in powder form. On the street, cocaine may be called coke, blow, powder, or white lady.

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.

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Cocaine Drug Facts

Cocaine

Cocaine is a stimulant drug obtained from the leaves of two Coca species native to South America, Erythroxylum coca and Erythroxylum novogranatense.


Common Street Names for Cocaine

Cocaine base (smokable): Base, black rock, crack, electric kool-aid, rock, gravel, purple caps, Scotty, scramble, supercoke, twinkie, window pane, yam

Cocaine HCl: Aspirin, Big C, blow, coconut, coke, devil’s dandruff, flake, Florida snow, foo-foo dust, happy dust, lady, nose candy, white dragon, white lady, yao

Cocaine paste: Basuco, bazooka, pasta

Cocaine + heroin: Belushi, bipping, blanco, boy-girl, dynamite, goof ball, he-she, murder one, sandwich, snowball, speedball

Cocaine + marijuana: 51, banano, bazooka, blunt, C & M, candy sticks, caviar, champagne, cocktail, cocoa puff, crack bash, dirties, geek-joint, Greek, lace, P-dogs, premos, primo, Sherman stick, woo blunts, woolie

Cocaine + MDMA (ecstasy): Bumping up

Cocaine + MDMA + LSD: Candy flipping on a string

Cocaine + morphine: C & M

Cocaine + heroin + methamphetamine + flunitrazepam + alcohol: Five-way

Cocaine Short Term Effects of Cocaine

  • Extreme happiness and energy
  • Mental alertness
  • Hypersensitivity to sight, sound, and touch
  • Irritability
  • Paranoia—extreme and unreasonable distrust of others

Long-Term Effects of Cocaine

Some long-term health effects of cocaine depend on the method of use and include the following:

  • snorting: loss of smell, nosebleeds, frequent runny nose, and problems with swallowing
  • smoking: cough, asthma, respiratory distress, and higher risk of infections like pneumonia
  • consuming by mouth: severe bowel decay from reduced blood flow
  • needle injection: higher risk for contracting HIV, hepatitis C, and other bloodborne diseases, skin or soft tissue infections, as well as scarring or collapsed veins

Cocaine Use Statistics

Cocaine is a highly addictive illegal drug used by 14-21 million people worldwide. In 2018 there are 874,000 new cocaine users. Users can be from all economic statuses, all ages, and all genders. Since cocaine is combined or ‘cut’ with other chemicals, people have no idea if the dose will be weak or strong.

Effects Of Eating Cocaine

The effects of cocaine are intense and short-lived, regardless of the method of consumption. Those who eat 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 affects 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.

can you eat cocaine
Can you eat cocaine? Eating cocaine can lead to an overdose if you consume too much or mix it with other drugs.

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.

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History of Drinking and Eating 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.

What Happens If You Eat Cocaine?

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.

Some short-term side effects of using cocaine can be very unpleasant and tend to be amplified by eating cocaine.

  • Paranoia
  • Anxiety
  • Cocaine headaches
  • High blood pressure
  • Restlessness
  • Increased body temperature
  • Muscle spasms
  • Sexual dysfunction
  • Chest pain
  • Violent or aggressive behavior
  • Fast and irregular heart rate

Eating cocaine also puts the user at a greater risk for significant health problems such as:

  • Heart attack
  • Seizure
  • Stroke
  • Addiction
  • Psychosis
  • Severe weight loss
  • Coma
  • Sudden death

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can you eat cocaine
Can you eat cocaine? Eating cocaine poses similar risks to snorting, injecting, or smoking the drug. 

Can You Get High From Eating Cocaine?

Yes, and it can cause gastrointestinal problems and a possible overdose. Eating cocaine causes effects similar to snorting or smoking cocaine, including increased energy, alertness, and euphoria. Cocaine is used in combination with other substances, like alcohol. Mixing alcohol and cocaine causes the body to produce a substance called cocaethylene. Cocaethylene is toxic and may cause increased adverse effects on the cardiovascular system.

Eating Cocaine vs Snorting

Eating cocaine causes the drug to sit in your stomach for ten or twenty minutes before it’s absorbed into your blood and then hits your brain. When you snort cocaine, it’s absorbed into the mucous membranes in your sinus cavity and immediately enters your bloodstream. This causes you to feel high immediately. The effect is much more intense than waiting around for it to digest. Snorting cocaine gets to the brain faster than eating it. Smoking it even faster than snorting it. The quicker a drug gets to the brain, the more intense the experience.

Flesh Eating Cocaine

According to the DEA, over 80 percent of cocaine in the US contains levamisole, a deworming drug used in veterinary livestock care. The drug has been cut into cocaine supplies for years and has been reported to cause a rotting effect on human flesh. The reports have included facial tissues on the nose, ears, and mouth withering, blackening, and sloughing off at times.

Drug cartels increasingly prefer levamisole, a veterinary antibiotic customarily used to deworm cattle, sheep, and pigs. It’s unclear why dealers don’t just use baking soda all the time, although studies in rats suggest that levamisole might tingle brain receptors as cocaine does. If that’s the case, adding it to the supply might be a way to enhance the effects of cocaine on the cheap.

Over the last decade, Levamisole has become a major cutting agent in cocaine supplies. Reports of flesh-eating cocaine have come in from several cities in the US, England, and Canada. While more than 5 million people in the US are regular cocaine users, these new and dangerous side effects of its use may prove to be adequate deterrents. The DEA has discovered within seized cocaine supplies that nearly every supply contained upwards of 10 percent of levamisole.

Possible Signs And Symptoms

  • Skin infections
  • Swollen glands
  • Lesions and sores/abscesses
  • Fever, chills, and weakness
  • Thrush on the mouth and tongue (noticeable white spots)

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How To Detox From Crack Cocaine?

The first stage in rehabilitation is a crack cocaine detox. It is when the user first decides to refrain from using drugs and work toward recovery. The cocaine user must undergo numerous withdrawal symptoms while going through the cocaine detox process without relapsing. During this trying time, a medical team or treatment specialist will work to stabilize the patient. Finally, the user will be ready to enter a long-term residential center after finishing a cocaine detox program in which the patient is stabilized. They will get counseling and therapy to help them recover from cocaine addiction.

How to detox from crack? Many people who try to stop using cocaine alone think they can handle their withdrawal symptoms alone. Unfortunately, self-medication is ineffective in reducing withdrawal symptoms and frequently results in more severe issues with substance abuse and addiction. It’s critical to remember that cocaine detox should be carried out under professional supervision to safeguard the user’s safety and prevent potentially harmful repercussions from a relapse.

Overcoming Cocaine Detox and Withdrawal Symptoms

Currently, there are no FDA-approved drugs for cocaine detox. This means they will be given no drugs to reduce cravings while the user is detoxing. This is not to say that no efficient medicines can help with some of the other cocaine withdrawal symptoms, such as anxiety, paranoia, or despair. To help the user feel better, doctors may prescribe various drugs during cocaine detox.

No matter how heavily addicted to cocaine you may be, there is help! Choosing a cocaine detox program to help you get sober is the first step to your recovery. You have various choices to help you become sober and keep it off despite the odds. First, consider the severity of your addiction; if you use cocaine frequently, a residential facility or a cocaine detox program that offers round-the-clock care may be appropriate for you.

can you eat cocaine
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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.

Medication Assisted Treatments (MAT)

Medication-Assisted Treatments (MAT) for substance use and mental health disorders are commonly used in conjunction with one another. This includes the use of medications and other medical procedures. During your rehab, the staff from your treatment facility will help you identify what caused your addiction and teach you skills that will help you change your behavior patterns and challenge the negative thoughts that led to your addiction. Sometimes, the pressures and problems in your life lead you to rely on substances to help you forget about them momentarily.

Please, do not try to detox on your own. The detox process can be painful and difficult without medical assistance. However, getting through the detox process is crucial for continued treatment. We Level Up provide proper care with round-the-clock medical staff to assist your recovery through our opioid addiction treatment program medically. So, reclaim your life, and call us to speak with one of our treatment specialists. Our counselors know what you are going through and will answer any of your questions.

Cocaine Rehab Near Me

Cocaine addiction is a condition that can cause major health problems, such as an overdose. We Level Up NJ rehab treatment & detox center can provide you, or someone you love, the tools to recover from this with professional and safe treatment. Feel free to call us to speak with one of our counselors. We can inform you about this condition and clarify issues like cocaine withdrawal symptoms. Our specialists know what you are going through. Please know that each call is private and confidential.

can you eat cocaine
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