Charlie is in control: get the facts

Get the facts

Cocaine and alcohol don’t mix. Together, they make you more aggressive and violent.
And mixing them means you’re more likely to overdose.

Anyone can have a fit, heart attack or stroke on cocaine. You don’t have to have high blood pressure or a heart condition to get seriously ill on cocaine. It regularly happens to young, healthy people too.

Taking cocaine regularly has grim consequences. Snorting it can damage the cartilage in your nose, leaving you with one large nostril. Smoking it can cause breathing problems. Injecting it can lead to ulcers, gangrene, hepatitis or HIV. Speedballing it can be fatal.

And long-term use can cause serious heart and neurological problems. The effects on your mental health can be huge. Any short-time highs can quickly fade, leaving you lower than before, making any existing mental health problems worse and leaving you feeling depressed, run-down, anxious and paranoid.

Cocaine is incredibly addictive. Because it messes with the way your brain releases dopamine, taking cocaine on the odd night out can quickly turn into addiction.

Holding even just a small amount can land you 7 years in prison. It doesn’t matter whether it’s for yourself or someone else. It doesn’t matter whether you’re using it, giving it away or selling it. Cocaine’s a Class A drug, so possession can mean 7 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both.