Cocaine Addiction Quiz
Questions: 16 · 10 minutes
1. What does tolerance to cocaine mean?
A person may need more cocaine to obtain an effect previously produced by less
A person has become immune to overdose and heart complications
The body can now remove all contaminants from cocaine
Stopping cocaine will no longer produce cravings or mood changes
2. A person wants help reducing or stopping cocaine use. Which approach has the best evidence as part of professional treatment?
Relying on willpower without changing routines or seeking support
Replacing cocaine with alcohol whenever cravings occur
Waiting for a medication guaranteed to cure stimulant addiction
Using structured behavioral care, such as contingency management or cognitive behavioral therapy
3. Someone returns to cocaine after a long period without using it. Why can this be particularly dangerous?
Reduced tolerance can make a previously used amount more hazardous
Past experience makes it impossible to recognize any effects
Abstinence permanently increases the purity of any cocaine later obtained
A long break guarantees that withdrawal will begin immediately after one use
4. You are concerned about a friend's recurring cocaine use, but there is no immediate emergency. Which response is generally most constructive?
Publicly confront them so other people can pressure them to stop
Avoid mentioning the issue unless they ask for help first
Choose a calm time, describe specific concerns without blame, and offer help finding professional support
Promise to manage the situation alone so professionals do not become involved
5. Someone claims that snorting cocaine avoids the serious risks associated with smoking or injecting it. Which response is accurate?
Snorting is risk-free when cocaine is used infrequently
No route removes the risks of addiction, cardiovascular complications, or overdose
Snorting prevents dependence because absorption is slower
The route matters only when cocaine is mixed with alcohol
6. How is cocaine primarily classified by its effects on the central nervous system?
A sedative-hypnotic
An opioid
A hallucinogen
A stimulant
7. Which group of experiences is commonly associated with cocaine withdrawal?
Persistent high energy, reduced appetite, and little need for sleep
Fatigue, low mood, sleep changes, increased appetite, and cravings
Severe diarrhea, pinpoint pupils, and slowed breathing
A predictable fever and skin rash in every person
8. A person plans to combine cocaine with another stimulant because they believe the drugs will balance each other out. What is accurate?
Two stimulants reliably cancel each other's cardiovascular effects
The combination is safe if each substance is taken below its usual amount
Combining stimulants can compound strain on the heart, blood pressure, temperature regulation, and nervous system
Combining stimulants prevents overheating as long as water is available
9. A clinician is evaluating whether someone's cocaine use has become a disorder. What information is most relevant?
Whether the person has ever used cocaine at least once
A single laboratory result without any behavioral or health context
Whether cocaine was used as powder or crack
The pattern of impaired control, craving, harm, and disruption over time
10. After suspected cocaine use, a person is unresponsive and breathing very slowly. Because illicit stimulants can contain fentanyl, what should a bystander do?
Call emergency services, give naloxone if available, and provide appropriate first aid
Wait for the stimulant effects to restore normal breathing
Use coffee or a cold shower to make the person alert
Try to make the person vomit before seeking help
11. Which pattern most strongly indicates that cocaine use may require professional assessment?
Using it only in social settings rather than alone
Feeling alert while its immediate effects are present
Preferring one form of cocaine over another
Continuing to use despite recurring health, relationship, work, or legal harm
12. Which statement accurately compares crack cocaine and powdered cocaine?
Crack is a non-addictive substitute for powdered cocaine
They are different forms of cocaine, and both can lead to addiction and serious harm
Powdered cocaine affects only the nose, while crack affects only the lungs
Only powdered cocaine can contribute to cardiovascular emergencies
13. After using cocaine, someone becomes intensely paranoid, hears things others do not, and appears likely to hurt themselves or another person. What is the best interpretation?
This is an expected effect that never requires intervention
It proves the person has a permanent psychiatric disorder
These can be serious cocaine-related symptoms requiring urgent help, especially when danger is immediate
The person should be challenged forcefully until they admit the perceptions are unreal
14. How can cocaine contribute to heart attack or stroke?
It affects mood but has no direct cardiovascular effects
It consistently lowers blood pressure until circulation stops
It can raise heart rate and blood pressure while constricting blood vessels
It prevents blood vessels from responding to stress hormones
15. A person develops severe chest pain and collapses shortly after using cocaine. What is the most appropriate response?
Call emergency services immediately and follow the dispatcher's instructions
Give them food and water before deciding what to do
Wait to see whether the effects subside within an hour
Let the person sleep while checking on them periodically
16. Why is combining cocaine with alcohol especially hazardous?
Alcohol prevents people from noticing any effect from cocaine
The body can form cocaethylene, which can prolong effects and increase cardiovascular toxicity
The combination converts cocaine into an opioid
Alcohol blocks cocaine from entering the bloodstream