Cocaine is a powerfully addictive drug of abuse .
Once having tried cocaine, an individual cannot predict or control the extent to which he or she will continue to use the drug. Snorting is the process of inhaling cocaine powder through the nose where it is absorbed into the bloodstream through the nasal tissues. Injecting is the act of using a needle to release the drug directly into the bloodstream. Smoking involves inhaling cocaine vapor or smoke into the lungs where absorption into the bloodstream is as rapid as by injection. It appears that compulsive cocaine use may develop even more rapidly if the substance is smoked rather than snorted.