It’s the drug that has fueled Hollywood parties and Wall Street trading floors for decades.
But the numbers show that Colorado, not California or New York, is home to the largest number of cocaine users in the United States.
Survey data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) show that more than Three percent of residents over the age of 18 (about 96,000 people) reported using some form of cocaine in the past year.
Colorado was followed by Vermont, with three percent of adults using cocaine, 2.7 percent in Rhode Island and 2.6 percent in Massachusetts. California rounded out the top five with 2.5 percent.
Cocaine use is highest in Colorado and lowest in Arkansas
Overall, in 2022, about two percent of Americans ages 18 and older reported using cocaine in the past year, and cocaine use nationwide has been declining since the 2017-2018 survey year.
Cocaine, commonly known as ‘coke’, is illegal in the United States in all its forms and the punishment for possession of the drug varies depending on a variety of factors, but could range from five years to life in prison and millions in fines.
The survey does not provide explanations for why cocaine use is higher in these states, but it could be due to their more relaxed stance on illicit drugs.
Marijuana is legal for recreational use in all states, placing them in the top five for cocaine use.
Wyoming has the fewest cocaine users, with 1.3 percent reporting using drugs in the previous 12 months.
They were followed by New Hampshire (1.37 percent), Arkansas (1.38 percent), South Dakota (1.4 percent), and Texas and Alaska, both with 1.45 percent residents.
Nationally, use of the drug in any form is highest among Americans ages 18 to 25, with 3.7 percent in that age group reporting using cocaine in the past year in 2022.
This is a marked decrease from the previous survey year, 2018-2019, when prevalence reached 5.5 percent.
No results were reported for 2020-2021.
Cocaine use among this age group was highest in the 2005-2006 survey, when seven percent of people reported drug use.
Among all Americans age 18 and older, cocaine use was highest (2.6 percent) in the 2002-2003 survey year.
Cocaine use in the United States has been declining since the 2017-2018 SAMSHA survey year.
Cocaine is a powerful stimulant and comes from the leaves of the coca plant. It is sold as a white powder and is inhaled. It can also be dissolved in water and injected into a vein.
If cocaine is heated to a crystallized rock form, it is called crack cocaine and is inhaled. This produces the fastest and most intense high.
People who use this drug report feelings of euphoria, increased mental alertness, and increased energy.
But they may also experience restlessness, irritability, anxiety, fear and paranoia.
People who use cocaine are at risk of cardiac complications, such as heart attack, as well as seizures, coma, stroke, and gastrointestinal symptoms.
In the United States, cocaine is a Schedule II substance, the second highest drug classification. This indicates that it has a reduced potential for addiction, but a high risk of dependence.
There is also a high risk of misuse.
Medications in this category are typically prescribed to treat severe pain, anxiety, ADHD, and insomnia. They include fentanyl, methamphetamines, morphine, oxycodone and morphine.
Schedule II drugs have the strictest regulations compared to other prescription drugs.
A gram of cocaine, a common measure, in the United States costs between $60 and $200. Crack is usually the cheapest form of the drug, ranging from $80 to $100 per gram.
In the United States, penalties for cocaine possession vary widely depending on the quantity, number of prior offenses, location, and other offenses related to drug trafficking or use. Penalties can range from five years to life in prison, plus fines that can run into the millions.
Colombia is the world’s largest producer of cocaine and is often the source of the drug that reaches the United States.
According to a 2022 studyMajor cocaine transportation routes include the southern border of the United States, the East Coast, and the southern half of the West Coast. From there, the drugs are transported to the central United States and northern Canada.