Patrick Slattery Cocaine Addiction August 6, 2025 Taking cocaine is always risky because of the side effects it causes, but there are other risks you may not have thought of. How do you know what’s really in your cocaine? There are many potential answers to the question, “What is cocaine cut with?” Most commonly, cocaine is cut with other white powders, like baby powder, sugar, and flour. However, it can also be cut with more dangerous additives, like localized anesthetics or medications like chloroquine. In many cases, cocaine is laced with other psychoactive substances, like fentanyl. In 2023, 244 people in Tampa died with cocaine in their system. Of those people, 203 also had another substance in their body. How many of them had taken cocaine that was cut or laced with other substances without their knowledge? At Real Recovery, many of us have been right where you are now. Let’s talk about what’s typically hiding in cocaine so you can prepare yourself and decide if you’re ready to start healing. Why Cocaine Is Usually Cut “Cutting” is a way of diluting cocaine by mixing it with another substance before it’s sold. Cocaine is usually cut to increase the seller’s profit. This is often done using cheap, powdery substances that are difficult to distinguish from cocaine immediately, but are easy to purchase. Common examples include baking soda, talcum powder, and sugar. Cutting allows a dealer to stretch their supply further and make more money than they would if they sold uncut cocaine. It’s also common for dealers to “lace” cocaine. Lacing cocaine is slightly different from cutting because it is done to alter the side effects of the cocaine. Despite the distinction, the terms are often used interchangeably. Cocaine is laced with several different items depending on the desired effects. Cocaine itself is a stimulant, so lacing it with another stimulant would compound the desired effects. Mixing the substance with a depressant is also common and creates mixed effects. Fentanyl, an extremely potent synthetic opioid, is a common lacing agent because it is very cheap to produce. Because it’s often cheaper to produce than cocaine, many dealers mix fentanyl with their stash to increase their profits. However, it’s dangerous for those who don’t have a tolerance, especially if you don’t know that it’s mixed into your cocaine. Cut Cocaine vs. Pure Cocaine: Understanding the Difference Pure cocaine is made from the coca plant, which is native to South America. The alkaloids are extracted from the plant using a fuel, such as kerosene. Then the alkaloids are combined with acetone, sulfuric acid, and hydrochloric acid in a laboratory setting. After production, cocaine is at its purest and hasn’t been diluted or mixed with other psychoactive ingredients. There are a few very limited uses for pure, legal cocaine. For example, in the U.S., legally produced cocaine hydrochloride can be used as a localized anesthetic in medical settings. In this case, the production process has been standardized and closely monitored. The exact process for producing the cocaine that’s sold for recreational use cannot be verified. Because there is no standard process for producing illicit cocaine, it could be cut with another substance at any point. There is no sure way to know whether or not the cocaine you consume is pure or if it has been cut. The Most Common Types of Cutting Agents Because pure cocaine is so rarely sold on the street, it’s important to be aware of the different cutting agents, also known as adulterants or additives, that are present in cocaine. The majority of additives found in cocaine are either another stimulant, a depressant, or a diluent. Stimulant Additives Depressant Additives Diluent Additives Effects: Stimulants speed up the body’s systems. Since cocaine is already a stimulant, other stimulants will increase its effects. Effects: Depressants slow down the body’s systems. When combined with a stimulant like cocaine, the effects can mask each other. Effects: Diluent additives lower the quantity of cocaine, increasing revenue for street dealers. Caffeine Methamphetamine Amphetamines Fentanyl Heroin (“Speedball”) Benzodiazepines Baby powder Crushed aspirin Cornstarch This is not an exhaustive list of cocaine cutting agents. Localized anesthetics, like benzocaine and lidocaine, are also used because they mimic the numbing effects of cocaine. Medications that mimic the appearance of cocaine, such as chloroquine, which is used to treat malaria, and levamisole, which is used to deworm animals, are also common cutting agents. How Additives and Fillers in Cocaine Impact Your Body The effects of adulterants in cocaine vary widely depending on the specific substance. The way you ingest cocaine can also change the impact that an individual additive has on your body. Certain additives, like sugar and flour, do relatively little damage, although they can cause damage to the nasal passages over time when snorted. This is the case for many other dilutants as well, such as cornstarch and baby powder. When cocaine is cut with anesthetics like benzocaine and lidocaine, it can have more serious side effects, including dizziness, edema, irregular heartbeat, and nausea. When it comes to a cutting agent like Lovismol, side effects like skin rashes, fever, or even necrosis of the extremities, nose, and cheeks can occur. Psychoactive additives can quickly have a severe impact on your body. Mixing cocaine with other stimulants increases the risk of an overdose. When cocaine is laced with a depressant, like heroin, it is often unpredictable because the effects modify each other. Recognizing the Dangers of Cut Cocaine The biggest danger associated with cut cocaine is the risk of overdose. For example, if you take cocaine that has been laced with another stimulant, your body will have a lower tolerance and could overdose more easily than with cocaine alone. Common signs of a cocaine overdose include: Chest pain Nausea and vomiting Hallucinations Extremely high body temperature Heart palpitations Seizures Extreme agitation Confusion Uncontrollable muscle movements and spasms Trouble breathing Cocaine that’s been laced with a depressant can be even more dangerous, because the combination could mask the signs of an overdose until it’s too late. If you or someone you love could be experiencing an overdose, call 911 immediately. An overdose is not something that you can deal with on your own, and Florida’s Good Samaritan Act protects you from being prosecuted for a drug-related offense when calling to get medical care for yourself or someone else. Fentanyl-Laced Cocaine Fentanyl is one of the most common lacing agents because it’s affordable, fast-acting, and extremely strong. This makes it especially dangerous for people who haven’t built up a tolerance for it. When you consume cocaine that’s laced with fentanyl without knowing it, you’re at a high risk of overdose. Since fentanyl is an opioid, it could also make an overdose more difficult to recognize in the moment. The Best Way to Recognize Cut Cocaine While cocaine identification is possible, it’s extremely difficult to tell whether or not your cocaine has been cut with other additives just by sight. This is intentional, as the person who’s selling you the cocaine wants you to believe that it’s all cocaine. Here are 4 things you might notice if you’ve taken cocaine that’s been cut with something else: Burning sensation when snorted Unusual taste or smell Numbness effects set in faster than expected Effects are weaker than expected If you’re actively taking cocaine, testing your cocaine before use is the most effective way to stay safe. Fentanyl testing strips have been legal in Florida since 2023 and can be purchased at your local pharmacy. You can also have them delivered discreetly from online retailers like Amazon. Getting Help for Cocaine Addiction at Real Recovery in Tampa Bay The best way to avoid cocaine that’s cut or laced with other substances is to quit taking cocaine entirely. That isn’t an easy task, but the right cocaine rehab will empower you with the support you need. A good recovery program will connect you with evidence-based therapies, skill-development opportunities, and welcoming peers. If you’re ready to begin healing, Real Recovery Solutions is here to give you the tools you need to succeed. We’re proud to be the largest network of sober living homes in the state of Florida. Here, you won’t just be a person in recovery; you’ll be part of a supportive recovery community. Call us now at 813-373-6762 to learn more about what we can do for you. Real People. Real Solutions. Real Results. - Share on Facebook Share on twitter