Cocaine is a powerful and addictive central nervous system (CNS) stimulant drug. It is derived from the Coca plant and formulated into a powder that people often snort or inject for recreational use.

Despite its addictive qualities, cocaine used to be widely available for medicinal purposes until it became illegal for recreational use in 1914. Cocaine still has approved medicinal uses today, but thanks to advances in medicine it is rarely used. The vast majority of cocaine use in the U.S. is recreational and illicit.

In 2020, an estimated 5.2 million people used cocaine and about 1.3 million had a cocaine use disorder. People are often attracted to cocaine because of the energizing, stimulating high it produces, but cocaine can also be deadly. Approximately 19,447 people died from a cocaine overdose in 2020.

Being a popular drug that has been used for centuries, cocaine has acquired a long list of drug street names, nicknames, and slang terms. Cocaine slang terms are used by dealers and drug users when buying, selling, or using the drug.

Popular Cocaine Street Names

The list of street names for cocaine is very long, but some nicknames are more common than others. Some of the most common street names are:

• Coke
• Blow
• Snow
• 8-ball (often referring to an “eighth” of cocaine or 3.5 grams)
• White girl
• Powder
• Bump
• “C”
• Mama coca
• Lady caine
• Cola
• Rail

Cocaine Nicknames Based on Appearance

Many of the slang terms used to refer to cocaine are based on the way cocaine looks. Cocaine usually comes in the form of a fine, white powder. The purest cocaine is thought to appear shiny or scaley. Cocaine can also come in the form of a solid rock-like substance that users crush until it is broken down to a fine powder that can be snorted.

Street names for cocaine based on the drug’s appearance include:

• Pearl
• Snow
• Snow White
• Snowcones
• Fish scale
• Flake
• Icing
• Dust
• Paradise white
• Bernie flake
• Gold dust
• Haven dust
• Stardust
• White rock

Cocaine Slang Terms Based on the Drug’s Effects

As a stimulant, cocaine increases activity in the central nervous system. Shortly after using the drug, people feel energized, wakeful, talkative, euphoric, and even more confident. Many of cocaine’s street names and nicknames were created based on the effects of the drug, such as:

• Happy dust
• Happy powder
• Happy trails
• Nose candy
• Paradise
• Frisky powder
• Marching powder
• Big rush
• Glad stuff

Other Street Names for Cocaine

Some nicknames for cocaine are based on other things, like geographical location, names, cultural influences, and more. Some nicknames and slang terms are random and even deceptive. Additional cocaine slang terms include:

• Movie star drug
• California Cornflakes
• Pimp
• Florida snow
• Studio fuel
• Scorpion
• Late night
• Love affair
• Peruvian lady
• Peruvian flake
• Inca message
• Bernese
• Lady snow
• Angie
• Bernie
• Jejo
• Aunt Nora
• Coconut
• Base
• C-game
• Mosquitos
• Monster
• Cholly
• Esnortiar
• Teenager
• Beam
• Jelly beans

Slang Terms for Cocaine Mixed with Other Drugs

Cocaine is often used alongside other drugs, such as heroin, alcohol, and marijuana. These unique drug combinations have their own nicknames, such as:

• Cocaine and heroin – Speedball, snowball, H&C, Belushi, one and one, and boy-girl
• Cocaine and ecstasy or other hallucinogens – Bumping up, candy flipping, candy tripping
• Cocaine mixed with PCP (Angel dust) – Spaceball, dusty road
• Cocaine and tobacco – Coco Puff, woolie, or flamethrower
• Mixing cocaine and meth – Croak
• Cocaine and fentanyl – Dirty fentanyl or takeover

Crack Cocaine Street Names & Slang Terms

Crack cocaine is a cheaper, highly addictive formulation of cocaine that turns the powder into a smokeable form of the drug. Crack cocaine has its own street names and slang terms, including:

• Crack
• Rock
• Candy
• Rock candy
• Hail
• Sleet
• Grit
• Dice
• Ball
• Base
• Nuggets
• Gravel
• Black rock
• Snow coke
• Tornado

Signs of Cocaine Abuse and Addiction

Learning about the nicknames used to refer to cocaine can help you recognize if a loved one is struggling with cocaine addiction. However, there are other signs to look for too.

Common side effects of cocaine and signs of cocaine abuse include:

• Enlarged (dilated) pupils
• Increased energy
• Changes in sleep patterns
• Reduced appetite
• Weight loss
• Increased blood pressure
• Increased anxiety, agitation, and paranoia
• Unusual talkativeness
• Increased mental alertness
• Erratic or bizarre behaviors
• Impulsivity
• Changes in personality
• Changes in priorities

Over time, regular cocaine abuse can lead to dependence and addiction. Common signs of cocaine addiction include:

• Lying to family members and loved ones about cocaine use
• Wanting to stop but feeling unable to do so
• Making multiple unsuccessful attempts to stop using cocaine
• Having cravings for cocaine
• Feeling out of control about the frequency and severity of your drug use
• Having symptoms of withdrawal when you aren’t using cocaine
• Developing tolerance that causes you to increase your dose over time
• Experiencing social, workplace, or family issues because of your cocaine use
• Spending excess time and money on cocaine abuse
• Continuing to use cocaine despite the problems it is contributing to in your life

Find Help for Cocaine Abuse and Addiction Today

If you or someone you love is struggling with cocaine addiction, the time to get help is now. Long-term cocaine abuse can destroy your relationships, derail your career, and hurt your physical and mental health, and without cocaine addiction treatment, your addiction will likely get worse.

At Moving Mountains Recovery Center, we understand how challenging it can be to overcome addiction and live a life in recovery. That’s why we offer compassionate and individually-tailored substance abuse treatment options across multiple levels of care. Our New Jersey cocaine rehab program offers detox referrals, an extensive partial hospitalization program (PHP), intensive outpatient programming (IOP), and more. Get started on your recovery by speaking with one of our dedicated admissions coordinators today.