Author: John Carter

How Long Does Cocaine Stay In Your System? Cocaine Detection Times

Adrienne Santos-Longhurst is a freelance writer and author who has written extensively on all things health and lifestyle for more than a decade. If you’re looking after someone else, get them into the recovery position. Lay them on their side with their body supported by a bent knee. However, some people may also experience increased anxiety, panic, or paranoia from using cocaine, according to a research report from the National Institute of Drug Abuse. These effects occur because cocaine influences dopamine pathways in the brain’s reward center. When you use cocaine, the brain receives a temporary jolt of stimulation from increased dopamine production.

Cocaine is a fast-acting stimulant with a quick high that lasts for only a short period. Generally, a cocaine high lasts for 5–30 minutes depending on whether it was snorted, smoked, or injected. Snorting cocaine is most common and usually the slowest method of ingestion. Smoking or injecting it will provide a high in as quickly as five minutes. Cocaine is a powerful and addictive drug that can damage a person’s health and well-being.

Factors That Impact How Long Cocaine Stays in the System

For example, a 2022 paper reports on data finding evidence of cocaine use in the hair 6 months after use. However, evidence of drug use may take up to 7–10 days to appear in the hair. Read on to learn more about how long cocaine stays in the system, including some risks and dangers of cocaine use and how to seek help for drug misuse. If you’re not sure whether someone’s experiencing a cocaine or opioid overdose, you can still safely administer naloxone. While it won’t reverse a cocaine-only overdose, it won’t cause any harm to the person, either.

These schemes offer a supportive environment where people experiencing cocaine addiction can recover and won’t be tempted to use it. Such programs help a recovering cocaine user learn how to live a healthy and fulfilled life without relying on the substance. Cocaine is quickly metabolized from the blood, so this type of test is not used for drug testing. Most drugs are undetectable in the blood after five half-lives have passed, approximately 7.5 hours for cocaine. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a treatment for cocaine abusers that can be taken at rehabilitation or separately.

It stays in the body longer than cocaine and has a higher risk for seizure, liver damage, compromised immune system and immediate death. A person’s natural levels of BChE may influence the rate at which their body breaks down cocaine. Lower levels of this chemical may increase the risk of overdose and other negative cocaine effects. People with short hair or who cut their hair, for instance, can expect a shorter positive testing window since they may cut out the portions of the hair that will test positive. Prolonged use, large doses, and very pure cocaine may have a slightly longer detection window.

Again, it depends on how you ingest it and a few other factors. The methods that get cocaine into your bloodstream faster allow it to wear off faster, too. The larger the dose, the longer it will take for the drug to be fully eliminated from your system.

Treatment for Cocaine Addiction

The duration of a cocaine high depends on a few factors, such as the method of ingestion and how much you use, but it typically lasts approximately 15 to 30 minutes. Some people may experience lingering effects for hours after taking it, and the comedown effects can also last a few days. If you or a loved one are struggling with cocaine abuse and addiction, help is available. The Recovery Village offers compassionate, evidence-based treatment with professional addiction specialists. Contact us today to discuss cocaine addiction treatment programs that can meet your needs. Cocaine stays in the body longer in people who use it long-term.

1. Calls to our general hotline may be answered by private treatment providers.
2. The method of cocaine use affects how quickly the substance reaches the brain.
3. Because cocaine can linger in the hair longer, a hair test may be positive for months or years.
4. Addiction Resource is an educational platform for sharing and disseminating information about addiction and substance abuse recovery centers.
5. This can last a few days, according to a 2017 Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) resource guide.

Because it’s so short-acting, people will often use it over and over in a short period. It is common for people to “binge” cocaine over several hours to extend the high. This means that a person will enter withdrawal shortly after stopping cocaine and that a blood, saliva, or urine test will only show the presence of cocaine for a few days. Because cocaine can linger in the hair longer, a hair test may be positive for months or years. If you feel comfortable, you can bring it up with a healthcare professional.

What to Expect During a Cocaine Drug Test

Hair testing can demonstrate cocaine abuse from months up to years after the last use, depending on the factors listed above. Even so, this powerful stimulant has a high potential for addiction and overdose. When you snort or gum coke, the effects come on slower compared with smoking or injecting it. This is because it has to get through mucus, skin, and other tissues before hitting your bloodstream. During this time, you might feel really tired, restless, and irritable. Once the high wears off, you’re likely to feel some lingering, not-so-pleasant effects as part of the comedown.

In the case of snorting, the feeling of high is achieved after 1 to 5 minutes. The mode of intake also affects the period of cocaine staying in the system of an individual. If you or a loved one are experiencing cocaine addiction, there are several treatment options to overcome the disorder. Therefore, treatment must address the illness alongside other co-occurring mental health disorders. If you inject cocaine, you may get a very fast high that lasts for a shorter period of time, because the substance will peak faster and leave the body faster. When someone injects cocaine, the peak concentration in the body occurs within 5–10 minutes.

Patient confidentiality laws prevent them from sharing this information with law enforcement. There’s really no such thing as completely safe cocaine use, but if you’re going to do it, there are some things you can do that could make it a tad safer. However, we believe in providing accessible and accurate information to reduce the harm that can occur when using them. Cone, EJ; et al. “Cocaine disposition in saliva following […]oked administration.” Journal of Analytical Toxicology, October 1997. You can get naloxone — and fentanyl test strips — from NEXT Distro or your local syringe access program. Cocaine withdrawal might not require medical attention, but that doesn’t mean you can’t reach out for help.

The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers. Addiction Resource is an educational platform for sharing and disseminating information about addiction and substance abuse recovery centers.

Some of the factors listed above can impact this time period, but only slightly. Addiction Resource does not offer medical diagnosis, treatment, or advice. Only trained and licensed medical professionals can provide such services. If you or anyone you know is undergoing a severe health crisis, call a doctor or 911 immediately. Its peak concentration in the blood, urine, and saliva is around 5-10 minutes after intake. But, it can be detected for up to a couple of weeks for heavy users.

Isaak Stotts is an in-house medical writer in AddictionResource. Isaak learned addiction psychology at Aspen University and got a Master’s Degree in Arts in Psychology and Addiction Counseling. After graduation, he became a substance abuse counselor, providing individual, group, and family counseling for those who strive to achieve and maintain sobriety and recovery goals. Coke’s half-life in the saliva is two hours, which means that it can be detected for only about 1 to 2 days after use. The method of cocaine use affects how quickly the substance reaches the brain. However, it doesn’t affect how long cocaine remains in a person’s system.