Cocaine

Injecting 2: Methods of injection

There are different ways to inject cocaine:

• directly into a vein (intravenously)
• into muscle tissue (intramuscularly)
• under the skin (subcutaneously).

The second and third methods are especially discouraged. They cause a painful, burning sensation and carry a higher risk of abscess formation under the skin. Because cocaine has a numbing effect, it can also kill off skin or muscle tissues in the injection area.

The anaesthetic effects of cocaine may also cause symptoms to go unnoticed, thus increasing the risk of infections