Cocaine is classified as a stimulant with which routes of use and typical duration?

Cocaine is classified as a stimulant with which routes of use and typical duration?

• A. Uses: sniffed, smoked, injected; Duration: 1-2 hours
• B. Uses: oral only; Duration: 6-8 hours
• C. Uses: inhaled only; Duration: 12-24 hours
• D. Uses: injected only; Duration: 5-6 hours

Answer: (A)

Cocaine is a stimulant with rapid onset and relatively short effects, and in practice is used by multiple routes: sniffed (nasal insufflation), smoked (freebase or crack), or injected (intravenous). The high is intense but of brief duration, typically around 1–2 hours, though exact length varies by route and amount—the fastest-onset methods tend to produce a sharper but shorter-lasting high, while snorting can extend a bit longer within that overall short range. The option that includes all three common routes and a 1–2 hour duration best fits cocaine’s usual profile. Other choices that limit use to a single route or propose a much longer duration don’t align with cocaine’s pharmacology.

Cocaine is a stimulant with rapid onset and relatively short effects, and in practice is used by multiple routes: sniffed (nasal insufflation), smoked (freebase or crack), or injected (intravenous). The high is intense but of brief duration, typically around 1–2 hours, though exact length varies by route and amount—the fastest-onset methods tend to produce a sharper but shorter-lasting high, while snorting can extend a bit longer within that overall short range. The option that includes all three common routes and a 1–2 hour duration best fits cocaine’s usual profile. Other choices that limit use to a single route or propose a much longer duration don’t align with cocaine’s pharmacology.