Cocaine ( AKA : snow, crack, rock, blow, nose candy, snowball, tornado, wicky stick )

Fact Sheet & Important Issues

• White crystalline powder
• "Crack" or "rock" cocaine is an off-white chunky material.

How is cocaine used?

• Powder cocaine is generally snorted or dissolved in water and injected.
• Crack cocaine is usually smoked.²

Who uses cocaine?

• Cocaine is the second most commonly used illicit drug in the United States.
• About 10 percent of Americans over the age of 12 have tried cocaine at least once in their lifetime, about 2 percent have tried crack, and nearly one percent is currently using cocaine.³

How does cocaine get to the United States?

• The United States-Mexico border is the primary point of entry for cocaine shipments being smuggled into the United States.
• Organized crime groups based in Colombia control the worldwide supply of cocaine.⁴

How much does cocaine cost?

• Cocaine prices depend upon the purity of the product.
• In 2001, cocaine purity declined by 8 percent, from 86 percent pure in 1998 to a 78 percent pure in 2001. The decrease in purity indicates a decrease in the supply of cocaine in the United States.⁵
• Cocaine remained low and stable, which suggests a steady supply to the United States.
• Nationwide, prices ranged from $12,000 to $35,000 per kilogram.⁶

What are some consequences of cocaine use?

• Cocaine is powerfully addictive.⁷
• Smoking crack can cause severe chest pains with lung trauma and bleeding.⁸
• The mixing of cocaine and alcohol create cocaethylene while increasing risk of sudden death.⁹
• Cocaine-related deaths are often a result of cardiac arrest or seizures followed by respiratory arrest.¹⁰

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