Did you take cocaine and are now worried about being able to pass a drug test? We’re here to help you understand how cocaine works as well as what your chances are of passing a drug test.
In this article, we answer all of your most pressing questions: how long does cocaine stay in your system? How long does cocaine stay in your urine, blood, and hair? Is there anything you can do to flush it out more quickly? Read on for answers to these and more.
How Long Does Cocaine Stay in Your System?
First off, how long does cocaine stay in your system, generally speaking? The answer to this question varies depending on several factors, which we’ll look at shortly. For now, though, we’ll focus on the most important factor that determines how long cocaine is detectable in your body: the type of drug test you take.
Cocaine—also known as crack, coke, and blow—is an illegal stimulant drug that takes the form of a white, crystal powder. The manner in which you take it determines how quickly you can feel the effects of the drug. You’ll usually start to feel high within five minutes if injecting it, 30 minutes if snorting it, and 45 minutes if smoking it. These effects are short-lived, lasting a mere 5 to 60 minutes.
Even if you don’t feel high anymore, cocaine can still be detected in your system. The chart below shows approximately how long you must wait after using cocaine before you’ll be able to pass one of four common drug tests:
| Drug Test | How Long Detectable Levels Remain |
| Urine | 2-4 days (up to 12 days for regular users) |
| Saliva | 12-48 hours |
| Blood | 12-48 hours |
| Hair | 90 days to years |
What Affects How Long Cocaine Stays in Your System?
There are several factors that determine how long cocaine stays in your system. The typical cocaine half life is only 36 minutes to one hour. This means that after this amount of time has passed, your body will have already expelled about half the cocaine you took.
This half life can vary, though. The six main factors that affect the cocaine half life for your body are as follows:
- The dosage of cocaine you take: The more cocaine you take at once, the longer it’ll take your body to process and expel it.
- How pure the cocaine is: In general, the purer the cocaine is, the more potent it’ll be—and thus the longer it’ll take your system to flush it out.
- How often you take cocaine: Regular cocaine users build up a slight tolerance to it over time, making it harder to eliminate from their systems.
- The method you use to take cocaine: How you take cocaine affects how long it stays in your body. Cocaine that’s injected dissipates the quickest, while cocaine taken orally lasts the longest amount of time.
- Your metabolism: If you have a high metabolism, your body will flush out cocaine faster than someone who has a low metabolism.
- Your age and weight: Younger people typically expel cocaine faster than older people. In addition, the heavier you are, the slower your body will be able to eliminate the drug.
How Can You Get Cocaine Out of Your System Faster?
If you want to get cocaine out of your system quickly, your two best options are to drink a lot of water and exercise.
Drinking water helps your body perform at its peak level and flush out toxins (including cocaine) at a slightly quicker rate. By contrast, the more dehydrated you are, the longer it’ll take you to fully expel the drug.
Exercise is helpful because it boosts your metabolic speed and, like water, helps flush out toxins more quickly.
Take caution, though: don’t force yourself to drink water if you’re already hydrated, and don’t exercise if you’re physically exhausted! Doing so will likely just make you feel sick.
Ultimately, while it’s best not to use cocaine or any other illegal drug, if you’ve taken it, you can use our chart above to estimate how long it’ll stay in your system. And remember that you can get cocaine out of your body a little faster by drinking water and exercising!