How Long Does Cocaine Stay in Your System? What to Expect

Within a few days, the body metabolizes all of the cocaine, and it is no longer in the system at all. Other sources, however, state that the initial half-life can be several hours. A common concern of people who use crack cocaine is if and for how long their drug use will show up in a drug test. Additionally, the use of cocaine can lead to risky behaviors and impaired judgment, increasing the likelihood of accidents, violence, and risky sexual encounters. Long-term use of cocaine can have devastating effects on both physical and mental health, including cardiovascular issues, respiratory problems, and mood disorders.

A family doctor or mental health professional can help a person find the assistance they need. Cocaine is a stimulant drug, which means that it increases activity in the central nervous system. This can make a person feel more energetic and may also cause anxiety or aggression. Cocaine, also known as crack, is an addictive stimulant that is used by millions of people in the United States each year. Cocaine’s benzoylecgonine element is perhaps one of the hardest components to flush away.

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Additional factors such as co-occurring medical or mental health conditions and history of drug addiction may affect how the body processes drugs like cocaine. Hair follicles can contain traces of drugs for a longer period of time following drug use. Hair testing can detect cocaine use for up to 90 days—or three months—after your last use. Cocaine metabolites can be detected in saliva (spit) for up to two days after use. Saliva is acquired for drug tests by using a special device to extract saliva from the mouth to insert into a tube to be tested. Cocaine—also known as crack, coke, and blow—is an illegal stimulant drug that takes the form of a white, crystal powder.

• The only way to get crack cocaine out of your system is to stop using cocaine.
• Anyone who is concerned about testing positive for cocaine should review the dangers of cocaine use and consider stopping use.
• Once someone admits to struggling with cocaine substance abuse, the only way to go is forward.
• The detection window for cocaine in hair can vary depending on individual factors.

That makes benzoylecgonine a preferred substance to test for coke abuse. Generally speaking, cocaine or its metabolites can usually be detected in a blood or saliva test for approximately 48 hours after the most recent usage. In a urine test, this drug can be detected for about 72 hours post-use. In a hair test, cocaine may be detected for an extended period of time, ranging from months to even years. In the case of a heavy user, a urine test may still yield positive results for up to 14 days. It is important to understand the metabolism of cocaine to grasp how long it remains detectable in urine.

How Long Is Coke In Your Urine, Blood, Saliva, & Hair?

For urine testing, then, most casual users should be able to pass if it’s been at least two days since last using. If the test is more comprehensive like a hair test, however, it’s likely that the even a casual user will test positive for cocaine. For saliva, cocaine itself can remain detectable for around5 to 12 hours. It’s metabolites like benzoylecgonine, on the other hand, can be detected in the saliva for about 12 to 24 hours.

It is common for people to “binge” cocaine over several hours to extend the high. Professional detox services offer the best way of overcoming the sometimes-excruciating symptoms of withdrawal without resorting back to cocaine abuse to feel better. These programs will also be able to provide expert guidance and even medications to help stave off withdrawals or make them more manageable in general. It isn’t any wonder, then, that this type of testing method is often considered to be the “gold standard” for cocaine and drug testing in general. It offers the most complete picture of substance abuse out of any other testing method available today. In general, four different types of drug tests are typically used to help companies identify whether someone has been using cocaine or any other drug for that matter.

Westwind Recovery® Treats Cocaine Addiction

However, trace amounts of benzoylecgonine remain in the system for up to a day. If you get a blood test within a day of using cocaine, it’s likely to pick up on these trace elements. Cocaine enters the blood within a matter of minutes of consuming it either through snorting how long does cocaine stay in your system or through smoking. Hitting the brain, it creates the euphoric feeling most people use this drug to experience. If you come to an emergency room with any of these symptoms, your doctors will likely test for cocaine in the system so they can administer the proper treatment.