Cocaine is produced as a white chunky powder and is often called coke, blow, white, snow, snort, flake, nose candy, hubba, or cane. It is sold most often in aluminum foil, plastic or paper packets, or small vials. Cocaine is usually crushed into a fine powder with a razor blade on a small mirror or some other hard surface, arranged into small rows called "lines," then quickly inhaled (or "snorted") through the nose with a short straw or rolled up paper money. It can also be injected into the blood stream.

The high from a typical inhaled dose of cocaine lasts for about 20 minutes. During this time your teenager may appear very alert, confident, energetic, and stimulated; physical signs include dilated eyes and a runny nose, and little or no appetite. The high from cocaine is followed by profound depression, an intense desire for another dose of the drug, mental fatigue, restlessness and irritability. An overdose of cocaine can cause extreme agitation, respiratory failure, heart failure, or even death.