Cocaine powder is snorted into the nostrils or rubbed into the gums. Others mix the powder with water and inject it directly into the bloodstream. A Speedball is a mix of cocaine and heroin that some people inject.
Smoking cocaine that has been processed into a rock crystal is another prevalent technique of consumption (also called "freebase cocaine"). The vapours are inhaled into the lungs once the crystal is heated. Crack is the name given to this type of cocaine because of the crackling sound it makes when heated. Crack can also be smoked by sprinkling it on marijuana or tobacco and smoking it like a cigarette.
People who use cocaine often take it in binges—taking the drug repeatedly within a short time, at increasingly higher doses—to maintain their high.