As published by the National Drugs Awareness Campaign:
Myth-cocaine isn’t addictive:
Fact-while not regarded as physically addictive, cocaine can produce severe psychological dependence because of the strong cravings it produces, leading to compulsive patterns of use.
As tolerance develops, users take larger and more frequent does to maintain ‘the high’.
In addition, there is no recognised pharmacotherapy (chemical treatment) for cocaine dependence similar to methadone for heroin users. However, psychotherapies and counselling are said to be effective in the management of cocaine dependence.
Myth-cocaine is a clean,safe drug:
Fact-despite its ‘clean/safe’ image, common physical effects include sweating, loss of appetite, damage to the inside of the nose, increased heart and pulse rate.
Some people experience nausea, headaches, irritability, paranoia and hallucinations. Cocaine (even taken on its own) can affect heart rhythms, leading to possible heart attacks, raised blood pressure, respiratory failure and strokes.
Myth-there is no ‘hangover’ with cocaine:
Fact-the short *term after-effects of use include fatigue and depression. The ‘crash’ or ‘low’ that follows the ‘high can be severe, and can lead to depression and suicidal thoughts.
Hyperactivity, insomnia and weight loss can also result from frequent use.
Chronic use can lead to paranoia, hallucinations, anxiety attacks and agitation. Aggressive and violent behaviour are another common result of increased cocaine use.
Myth-cocaine use improves sexual desire and performance:
Fact-increased sexual desire immediately after taking the drug often leads to unsafe sexual behaviour, risking unplanned pregnancy and leaving users susceptible to HIV, Hepatitis B and sexually transmitted infections.
Following prolonged use, male cocaine users can experience difficulty achieving or maintaining an erection.
Long-term use may result in reduced sexual drive, development of breasts in men and impotence. 
Despite all that, Cocaine is a $35 billion illicit industry now exceeding Columbia’s top export, coffee!! 
- 1 of 4 surveyed Americans of the age range 26-34 has already taken drugs.
- Minnesota Institute for Public Health and drug prevention resource center informs that 5,000 grown-ups in America take cocaine for the first time daily.
- The statistics shows that 22-25 million people have already taken cocaine at least one time. Different interrogation data tell that there are more than two million cocaine-takers in America nowadays.
- Every year the number of cocaine addicts has been gradually growing for the recent time. For 1975 this number was 30,000. In 1986 it has grown to 300,000 and to 361,000 in 2000.
- The per cent of drug-users among the students over the recent 5 years has increased from 2% in 1994 to 4,8% in 2000.
- 8,2% of high school pupils surveyed in 2001 told they have already taken cocaine.
- Juveniles from 18 to 25 is the group with which the using of cocaine is the most popular.
Just last month, one of the students in my college had to be taken to the hospital because he bought drugs from some other student and had an allergic reaction to it… WHY do people even go near drugs when ALL that info is out there??? 
