How Long Does Cocaine Stay in Your System

How Long Does Cocaine Stay in Your System Addiction Drug Use Cocaine Print How Long Does Cocaine Stay in Your System? Cocaine in Your Blood, Urine, Hair, Saliva By Buddy T facebook twitter Buddy T is an anonymous writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Learn about our editorial policy Buddy T Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on January 27, 2020 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on February 05, 2020 Verywell / Gary Ferster More in Addiction Drug Use Cocaine Heroin Marijuana Meth Ecstasy/MDMA Hallucinogens Opioids Prescription Medications Alcohol Use Addictive Behaviors Nicotine Use Coping and Recovery In This Article Table of Contents Expand How Long Does It Take to Feel the Effects? How Long Does Cocaine Last? Factors That Affect Detection Time How to Get Cocaine Out of Your System Symptoms of Overdose Getting Help View All Back To Top It is almost impossible to determine an exact timeframe that cocaine (also known as coke, crack, flake, rocks, and snow) will show up on a drug test. How long cocaine stays in the system depends on many variables, including a persons metabolism, body mass, age, hydration level, and other factors. The various kinds of screening tests that can be usedâ€"blood, saliva, urine, or hair follicleâ€"also have different windows of time in which they can detect the drug. These can range from 24 hours to up to three months. Cocaine is a Schedule II controlled substance because of its high potential for abuse and severe psychological and physical dependence. It is available legally for use in certain medical and surgical settings, but not legal for prescription. Its recreational use is illegal in the United States. How Long Does Cocaine Stay in Your System? Blood: Up to 24 hoursHair: Up to 90 daysSaliva: Up to 2 daysUrine: Up to 3 days What to Know About Cocaine Use How Long Does It Take to Feel the Effects? The method by which cocaine is administeredâ€"whether its smoked, injected, taken orally, or snortedâ€"can affect both the intensity and duration of the high. For example, snorting cocaine can produce a relatively slow onset of the high that may last from 15 to 30 minutes. Smoking cocaine, on the other hand, will result in more immediate effects that last five to 10 minutes. The cocaine high can make you feel really good, giving you feelings of pleasure, confidence, and energy beyond what you would normally experience. But this high is typically immediately followed by a crash that can cause anxiety and tension, depression, agitation, and exhaustion. Its this quick cycle that makes cocaine so addictive.   Immediately after cocaine use, you can expect the following physical effects to take place: Blood vessels constrictPupils dilateBody temperature risesBreathing gets fasterHeart rate and blood pressure increases You’ll also experience a euphoric high, which can last up to 30 minutes, and make you feel: HyperstimulatedInvincibleMentally alertMore talkativeAn increased sex driveA decreased need for sleep How Cocaine Affects Your Body How Long Does Cocaine Last? The half-life of cocaine is about one hour, which means it takes that long to eliminate half of the cocaine from the bloodstream. Cocaine itself is metabolized by enzymes in the liver and blood, and it happens so rapidly that it is not detectable in most screening tests. Those tests actually screen for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine that is detectable in the body for a longer period of time than cocaine?.?? The following is an estimated range of times, or detection windows, during which cocaine can be picked up by various testing methods?.?? Blood Blood tests, which are typically done in a hospital setting, can detect cocaine in your blood for 12 hours after use and benzoylecgonine for 48 hours. Urine Urine drug screens for cocaine are very accurate in the detection of recent cocaine use because cross-reactivity between the screen and other non-cocaine substances is nearly nonexistent. As a result, it is the most common test used. A urine screening can detect cocaine metabolites for up to three days after use. In people who use cocaine heavily, however, detection times have even been reported for up to two weeks after use. Saliva A saliva test uses a special device to extract a sample of saliva from your mouth and deposit it directly into a tube. With these tests, cocaine metabolites can be detected for up to two days after use. Hair Cocaine metabolites can typically be detected in hair follicles for up to three months, however, the results may depend on where the hair sample is taken. Factors That Affect Detection Time It is very difficult to determine an exact detection window for  how long cocaine can stay in someones system. The length of time it remains in your body depends on many different factors, including body mass, metabolism, and hydration levels. Frequency and Potency The more cocaine you use per session, the longer the benzoylecgonine metabolite remains and can be detected, according to some studies.?? In addition to the volume and frequency, the purity level of the drug can also affect how quickly benzoylecgonine is eliminated from the body. Alcohol and Caffeine Consumption Alcohol can bind cocaine and impede its excretion.?? Similarly, caffeine can also impede the excretion of cocaine. Body Fat Benzoylecgonine can be stored in fatty tissue, so if you have higher levels of body fat, the drug can accumulate in that fatty tissue and stay in your system longer. Physical Activity Cocaine is excreted faster in people who are active and have a higher metabolic rate. Hydration If youre dehydrated, the drug may stay in your system longer. This is because water can speed up the excretion of cocaine metabolites.?? Snorting vs. Smoking vs. Injecting The method by which you take cocaineâ€"snorting, smoking, or injectingâ€"also influences detection time.  In general, the faster the drug is absorbed into the bloodstream, the shorter the detection window. This means if you smoke or inject cocaine, it will leave the body faster than if you snort it. How to Get Cocaine Out of Your System Many websites claim that there are immediate ways to flush out your system after cocaine use, such as drinking lots of water, taking a detox pill, eliminating alcohol and caffeine, consuming fresh fruit high in antioxidants, and taking natural herbs. However, none of these claims have been substantiated under scientific conditions. The only reliable way to get cocaine out of your system is to stop use and allow your body time to metabolize and eliminate it. Symptoms of Overdose Using too much cocaine or taking a higher concentration of the drug can result in a condition known as cocaine intoxication, which can produce serious side effects and symptoms. Symptoms of cocaine intoxication can include?: Anxiety and agitationChest pain?? or pressureEnlarged pupilsFeeling of euphoriaIncreased heart rate?? and blood pressureSweatingTremors??ConfusionHyperactivity and muscle damage??Elevated body temperatureKidney damage??SeizuresStroke??Irregular heartbeatsSudden death With high doses of cocaine, psychosis?? and other signs of mental illness can occur. Some of these psychiatric systems can occur with any level of cocaine use. Overdoses can occur unexpectedly, even on the first use, and the risk of overdose can increase if cocaine is combined with other drugs or alcohol. Signs of overdose can include vomiting, tremors, and difficulty breathing. If you suspect someone has overdosed on cocaine, call 911 immediately. Getting Help If you are concerned about having too much cocaine in your system or testing positive for the drug, consider seeking help. For people who use cocaine regularly, a consistent and long-term solution is required,?? starting with naturally ridding the body of the substance (detoxing) and seeking counseling and medical therapy. If you use cocaine regularly, you may experience some withdrawal symptoms when you stop including mood changes, fatigue, sleep problems, and increased appetite. These symptoms can become more severe after heavy use. Obtaining treatment for mental health conditions such as depression is also highly recommended. Finally, joining a support group is more likely to decrease your chances of a relapse. Understanding Cocaine Addiction If youre unsure where to turn, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) offers an  anonymous online treatment locator, or you can call their National Helpline for a referral at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).