Analysis of threads showed five main sub-themes as part of cocaine characteristics that were related to purity (n = 81), purchase (n = 14), prices (n = 31), administration (n = 83), drugs alternatives to cocaine (n = 9) and polydrug use (n = 13).

Purity of cocaine reported had a wide range of variability between 10 and 60% and that depended on the country of purchase. Highest purity was around 70% and was reported in South American countries being Bolivia, Colombia and Peru. This was followed by Florida that was close to the aforementioned countries. Purity of cocaine encountered in Europe was in the range of 30–60%. 30% purity was seen in the UK whereas 60% for Belgium, France and Netherlands (60%). E-psychonauts checked for purity by either checking the melting point of cocaine or sending it for testing. Moreover, e-psychonauts associated lower grade cocaine with lower levels of euphoria and higher levels of ADEs being: anxiety, nose irritation, bleeding and paranoia. The aforementioned ADEs  were attributed to cutting agents used. Hence, increased stimulation, anxiety and paranoia was related to cocaine cut with Adderall, amfetamine, methamfetamine, aspirin, caffeine and/or methamfetamine. Methamfetamine/cocaine combination was further reported as highly addictive. Moreover, increased numbness was observed when cocaine was cut by benzocaine, lidocaine, procaine and/or cathinones. Cocaine cut by levamisole caused immunosuppressant effects, nasal infection and cardiovascular damage. Lethal effects were stated regarding cocaine cut by fentanyl. Of the aforementioned mentioned impurities, levamisole was the most frequent reported cutting agent: ‘Levamisole has increasingly been used as a cutting agent in cocaine sold around the globe with the highest incidence being in the USA. In 2008–2009, levamisole was found in 69% of cocaine samples seized by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) (QN167).’

Though users cited statistics decade ago, other users reports levamisole still the main cutting agent in recent years. For instance, one user reported:

‘It’s something like 90% of coke has levamisole in it… Not really any sort of test serves as purity, especially with levamisole being cut into the vast these days (QN165 and QN168).’

Additional cutting agents reported were baking soda, gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), ephedrine, hexedrone, lactose, milk powder and Ritalin.

Regarding purchase sources and pricing, sources included the dark web and surface web sources as well as street dealers. Price was only reported by few years and was witnessed as increasing by two folds over the last 2 years in the US and the UK. Where reported, the price for cocaine was between £40–60 (per 1 g) in the UK and $80 (per 1 g) in the US.

Route of administration of cocaine included mainly snorting followed by chewing, IV injection parachuting and smoking. Snorting of cocaine was done on its own or alongside consumption of alcohol synchronously or intermittently. Effects after snorting were reported as long-lasting for days and potentially resulting in overdosing. Effects attained from snorting comprised numbness in nose/sore throat and euphoria. Nevertheless, snorting was associated with nasal bleeding, severe dehydration, high blood pressure, cardiac damage, and damage to nose and face. Where damage occurred to nose and face, IV was the second sought route for cocaine intake. IV was described as the fastest route (100% bioavailability) but extremely dangerous causing dehydration, violent seizures, involuntary muscle movement and death. Smoking (crack) through roll ups, pipes or inhalers was the least favourite route due to its short half-life and association with chronic hallucinations. Cocaine was also orally administered; however, oral route was slower route with long lasting effects when compared to other routes of administration. Oral routes involved drinking cocaine in drinks, parachuting cocaine and/or chewing coca leaves.

Drugs alternative to cocaine encountered included amfetamines, cathinones, methylene dioxide methamfetamine (MDMA), methyl phenidate and n-ethyl pentedrone. Reasons behind choice of the aforementioned drugs included price, stimulant effects and duration of effects. One user reported:

‘Cocaine is both highly euphoric and, to a degree, subtle. If you have been doing cathinones (for example) you may be expecting a twice-strong half-fun experience’. (QN203).

Polydrug use encompassed the use of cocaine alongside other drugs such as: heroin, marijuana, alcohol, stimulants and benzodiazepines. Polydrug use were sought to alter the effects of cocaine where the interaction could to increased or decreased stimulant effects. Cocaine-heroin combination (crack and smack) was taken in order to achieve more intense and longer lasting effects that using cocaine alone. Where stated, users mixed around 2.5–3 g of cocaine with around 1 g of heroin over the course of 24 h yet described the effects as ‘out of control’, ‘hitting the nail on the head’ and/or ‘trouble’.

Marijuana-cocaine combination were taken either by smoking the combination when using primo cigarettes that comprised cocaine-laced marijuana cigarettes, or by smoking marijuana cigarettes alongside snorting cocaine lines. The combinations was reported as bringing ‘strong body high vibes’, ‘instant alertness’ and ‘increased alertness’. However, the combination was described at other instances as ‘disappointing that the users felt no euphoria’. When combined with alcohol, users’ reported ‘heavily elevated high’ feeling, ‘high vibes’ and increased surge to drink. This could be attributed to the cocaethylene that in turns resulted in many unwanted effects related to the inhibitory effects of alcohol. Negative effects experienced related to cocaethylene were cardiovascular toxicity (unspecified), increased risk of overdose and increased risk of sudden death. Moreover, cocaethylene was stated to have longer duration of action that benzylecgonine (metabolite of cocaine) and was more potent that benzylecgonine. The duration of action reported for cocaethylene was 144 min compared to 60 min for benzylecgonine.

Users sought using cocaine with stimulants in order to achieve increased energy boost. Yet, cocaine-stimulants interaction resulted in nervousness, increased heart rate and paranoia. Specifically when taken with amfetamine and MDMA, users’ experienced worse come down in terms of anxiety, panic attacks, paranoia and nervousness. Anxiety resulting from cocaine-amfetamine combination was attributed to increased thoughts among users and increased their liability to overdose. Users described themselves as ‘close to death’ during panic attached.

The aforementioned effects were especially encountered during come down and did not get resolved even if depressants (such as benzodiazepines) were taken during come down. For instance cocaine-benzodiazepine interaction resulted in increased risk of OD and addiction to benzodiazepines. Yet some users still recommended to take alprazolam (Xanax) 0.5 mg half-way through the trip.