COCAINE TOLERANCE

Initially, cocaine produces an intense high and may not cause an emotional depression when the drug wears off.  As a result, the user may conclude that cocaine is harmless.  With repeated use, a craving as well as a tolerance for the drug develops.

The graph on this page illustrates the progression of cocaine tolerance.

Over time, the high produced by a given amount of cocaine decreases while the depression when the drug wears off deepens.  The addict ends up "chasing a high" by taking ever-increasing amounts of cocaine more and more frequently.  When the supply of cocaine is gone, the addict is left with an intense craving along with severe depression that may reach a suicidal level.

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