People who use cocaine over the long term may develop health problems. Which problems they have will depend on how they used the cocaine:
- Snorting it can lead to a loss of sense of smell, nosebleeds, nasal damage, and trouble swallowing.
- Smoking it can cause a cough, asthma, trouble breathing, and a higher risk of infections like pneumonia.
- Injecting it with a needle can lead to skin or soft tissue infections, as well as scarring. It can cause collapsed veins. When a vein collapses, the blood cannot flow through it. Injecting cocaine also puts a person at higher risk of getting diseases such as HIV and hepatitis C.
Other long-term effects of cocaine use may include malnutrition and movement disorders, including Parkinson’s disease.
Repeated use of cocaine can lead to tolerance. This means users need more and more of the drug to have the same effect. At higher doses over time, the body becomes dependent on cocaine. If someone who is dependent on cocaine stops using it, they will have withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms can include:
- Depression
- Restlessness
- Fatigue
- Increased appetite
- Bad dreams and insomnia
- Slowed thinking
Repeated use of cocaine can also lead to cocaine use disorder, also called addiction. This is more than physical dependence. It’s a chronic (long-lasting) brain disorder. When someone has it, they continue to use cocaine even though it causes problems in their life. Some examples include health problems and not being able to meet responsibilities at work, school, or home. Getting and using cocaine becomes their main purpose in life.
