Cocaine Reading List

Cocaine is an addictive stimulant drug that originates from the leaves of the coca plant, which is indigenous to South America. The drug's effects include heightened alertness, attention, and energy, as well as feelings of euphoria and confidence. However, these effects come at a high cost, as cocaine use can lead to a range of negative health and social consequences.

You can also visit the ISSUP Network on cocaine, to access further resources. The fourth booklet focuses on the global market of stimulants including cocaine. 

1) The 2022 World Drug Report provides a global overview of the supply and demand of opiates, cocaine, cannabis, amphetamine-type stimulants and new psychoactive substances (NPS), as well as their impact on health. Here, you find out more about  cocaine supply, trends in cocaine use and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

2) A webpage has been created by EMCDDA, which features various resources such as links to data, scientific publications, and other useful materials on the topic cocaine. Additionally, the webpage provides up-to-date news related to the supply and demand of cocaine in Europe, alongside the aforementioned resources.

3) Here, you can access a simple factsheet published by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre that provides information on the effects, risks, trends and treatment options in relation to problematic cocaine use.

4) This report developed by UNODC examines the emergence of new hubs for cocaine trafficking and explores key groups that are involved in the supply chain. Furthermore, it provides an overview of recent trends and explores cocaine use in relation to other substance use.

5) In a recent systematic review and meta-analysis exploring comparing the treatment options for problematic cocaine use in adults, it was shown that contingency management programmes may benefit those who actively use cocaine. You can read the full article here.

6) In this presentation, put together by Northwest ATTC, the speaker provides an overview of the current knowledge on the problem of stimulant (cocaine and methamphetamine) use. You can view the full recording of the presentation here.

7) EMCDDA have recently hosted a webinar on stimulant drug use, which focuses on the development in treatment options. In the presentation the speakers explore the latest scientific findings in relation to stimulant use and consider the gap between research, policy and practice.