It’s the drug that’s powered Hollywood parties and Wall Street trading floors for decades.
But Colorado, not California or New York, is home to the most cocaine users in the United States, figures show.
Data from a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) survey shows more than three percent of Colorado residents aged 18 and older – about 96,000 people – reported using some form of cocaine within 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 18 and older reported using cocaine in the previous year, and nationwide cocaine use has been on the decline since the 2017-2018 survey year.
Cocaine, commonly known as ‘coke,’ is illegal in the US in all forms and 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 as to why cocaine use is highest in these states, but it could be due to their more relaxed stance on illicit drugs.
Marijuana is legal for recreational use in all the states making the top five for highest cocaine use.
Wyoming has the fewest cocaine users, with 1.3 percent reporting drug use in the previous 12 months.
This was 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 of residents.
Nationwide, use of the drug in any form is highest among Americans aged 18 to 25, with 3.7 percent in that age group reporting cocaine use within the previous year in 2022.
This is a marked decline from the prior survey year of 2018-2019, when prevalence hit 5.5 percent.
Results were not 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 18 and older, cocaine use was highest (2.6 percent) in the 2002-2003 survey year.
Cocaine use in American has been on the decline 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 snorted. It can also be dissolved in water and injected into a vein.
If cocaine is heated into a crystallized rock form, it is called crack cocaine and is inhaled. This produces the fastest and most intense high.
People who use the drug report feelings of euphoria, heightened mental alertness and increased energy.
But they can also experience restlessness, irritability, anxiety, fear and paranoia.
People who use cocaine are at risk of cardiac complications, such as a heart attack, as well as seizure, coma, stroke and gastrointestinal symptoms.
In the United States, cocaine is a Schedule II substance – the second highest drug classification. This indicates it has a reduced potential for addiction, but high risk for dependence.
There is also a high risk for misuse.
Drugs 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 when compared to other prescription drugs.
A gram of cocaine, a common measurement, in the US costs anywhere from $60 to $200. Crack cocaine is typically the cheapest form of the drug, ranging from $80 to $100 per gram.
In the US, penalties for cocaine possession vary widely based on amount, number of prior offenses, location and other crimes related to drug trafficking or use. Punishment can range from five years to life imprisonment plus fines that can climb into the millions.
Columbia is the world’s largest producer of cocaine and is often the origin of the drug coming into America.
According to a 2022 study, major transportation routes of cocaine include along America’s southern border, the eastern coast and the southern half of the western coast. From there, the drug is transported into central US states and north to Canada.
