Until recently the expense and rarity of the drug meant it was regarded as a drug of the more well off, although lowering prices and a wider availability mean that it has now become more common. However, the intended feelings can often be replaced by feelings of anxiety or panic. When snorted the effects of cocaine peak in about 15-30 minutes and then fade, which often encourages users to repeat the dose in order to maintain the effect. Large doses or lots of quickly repeated doses over a period of hours or days can lead to extreme states of agitation, anxiety, paranoia and possibly hallucinations which generally fade when the drug leaves the body. After effects can include tiredness and depression.
Excessive doses can in rare cases cause death from heart failure.
Effects of long-term use Users do not necessarily develop tolerance, but are often tempted to increase doses for a more intense effect. Discontinuation of the drug produces tiredness, sleepiness and depression, which can encourage users to take more to alleviate these side effects. Cocaine is thought to produce a physical dependency in some people, although this is still being debated and researched. Crack does produce a strong physical dependency . With regular heavy use increasingly unpleasant symptoms occur.