Types of Cocaine
The world of cocaine includes many forms, origins, and preparations. Each type has a distinct chemical identity, appearance, route of use, and risk profile. Select a type below for an in-depth, evidence-based guide covering history, chemistry, production, effects, overdose risk, purity testing, legal status, and market trends.
Browse cocaine types
Bio Cocaine
Examine bio cocaine, a marketing term used to suggest organic or natural cocaine, why it is not chemically different, and what consumers need to understand about purity and risks.
Bolivian Cocaine
Learn about Bolivian cocaine, from the Chapare and Yungas coca regions to international trafficking, purity trends, prices, and the country's distinctive coca policy.
Coca Leaf
Explore the coca leaf, the natural source of cocaine alkaloids, its Andean history, traditional uses, chemistry, legal status, and role in global cocaine trade.
Coca Paste
Learn about coca paste, the crude intermediate between coca leaf and refined cocaine, including its production, appearance, routes of use, and significant health dangers.
Cocaethylene
Understand cocaethylene, the toxic compound formed when cocaine and alcohol are consumed together, its pharmacology, health risks, and why the combination is especially dangerous.
Colombian Cocaine
A deep dive into Colombian cocaine, the world's most historically significant cocaine source, covering cultivation, cartels, purity trends, prices, and law enforcement efforts.
Crack Cocaine
Detailed coverage of crack cocaine, the smokable form of cocaine base, its chemistry, health effects, overdose signs, addiction treatment, and role in public health crises.
Fish Scale Cocaine
Understand fish scale cocaine, a term for shiny, high-purity powder cocaine, its appearance, why the name is misleading, purity testing, and what consumers should know.
Freebase Cocaine
A comprehensive guide to freebase cocaine, the alkaloid form of cocaine used for smoking, including its chemistry, effects, health risks, and how it compares to crack cocaine.
Peruvian Cocaine
Explore Peruvian cocaine, one of the most historically important forms of cocaine, from Andean coca cultivation to global trafficking networks, purity, and legal issues.
Pharmaceutical Cocaine
Learn about pharmaceutical cocaine, the legally produced cocaine hydrochloride used as a topical anesthetic in medicine, its Schedule II status, and how it differs from street cocaine.
Pink Cocaine
Pink cocaine is not actually cocaine. Learn about this pink powder, why the name is misleading, what substances it may contain, and the dangers users face.
Powder Cocaine
A detailed guide to powder cocaine, the white crystalline salt form of cocaine hydrochloride, covering its chemistry, appearance, effects, adulterants, testing, and worldwide market trends.
Sinaloa Cocaine
Discover what Sinaloa cocaine means in the global market, including its association with the Sinaloa Cartel, branding practices, purity claims, and geopolitical impact.
Natural forms
Coca leaf, coca paste, and traditional preparations represent the earliest stages of the coca-to-cocaine supply chain.
Refined forms
Powder cocaine, fish scale, freebase, crack, and pharmaceutical cocaine are produced through chemical extraction and refinement.
Marketing labels
Colombian, Peruvian, Bolivian, Sinaloa, and bio labels often describe origin or branding rather than a distinct chemical form.
Why type matters
The chemical form of a cocaine product determines how quickly it reaches the brain, how long the effects last, and what risks are most likely. Powder cocaine hydrochloride, for example, is water-soluble and typically snorted, while freebase and crack are lipid-soluble and smoked, producing a faster and more intense onset. Coca leaf contains a low concentration of alkaloids and is chewed or brewed, producing mild and sustained stimulation. Understanding these differences is essential for public health, clinical care, journalism, and harm-reduction practice.
Street names, origin labels, and purity claims can be misleading. A product marketed as fish scale, Colombian, or bio cocaine may or may not be high purity, and only laboratory testing can confirm identity and detect adulterants such as levamisole, phenacetin, lidocaine, caffeine, fentanyl, or synthetic opioids.