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Courses Cocaine & Crack Cocaine

Free professional micro-course

Cocaine and Crack Cocaine for frontline practice

Drug and alcohol practitioners, health and mental-health staff, housing, homelessness, social care, probation, criminal justice, safeguarding and peer workers.

15–20 minutes estimated6 stages + final quiz80% suggested level

No registration. Progress and quiz scores stay on this device where browser storage is available.

Scientific illustration of cardiovascular load, neural signalling and disrupted sleep in stimulant use

Learning outcomes

By the end, you should be able to:

  1. 1Distinguish powder cocaine and crack cocaine without assuming one pattern of use or risk.
  2. 2Explain stimulant arousal, dopamine/noradrenaline signalling and why repeated dosing increases physiological load.
  3. 3Recognise cardiovascular, neurological and mental-health red flags requiring urgent action.
  4. 4Describe binge/crash patterns, sleep and nutritional strain, and suicide risk during severe low mood.
  5. 5Use harm reduction, trauma-informed de-escalation and treatment-engagement principles in context.

What this course covers

Six short learning stages

  1. 01
    Powder cocaine, crack cocaine and routes

    Powder cocaine and crack cocaine contain the same active drug in different chemical forms. Route changes speed of onset, duration, pattern and associated harms.

  2. 02
    Stimulant arousal and cumulative load

    Cocaine increases monoamine signalling, particularly dopamine and noradrenaline. Subjectively this can feel like energy and confidence; physiologically it can mean substantial cardiovascular and neurological strain.

  3. 03
    Binge, crash, sleep and dependence

    Cocaine problems often present as cycles rather than steady intoxication: repeated use, prolonged wakefulness and reduced eating may be followed by exhaustion, low mood and powerful craving.

  4. 04
    Physical and mental-health red flags

    Stimulant toxicity can present through the heart, circulation, nervous system, temperature regulation and mental state. Frontline workers should recognise patterns that are not safe to ‘watch and wait’.

  5. 05
    Harm reduction, context and treatment engagement

    The most useful intervention may be a safer next decision, a rapid health response or a credible route into treatment — not a lecture about motivation.

  6. 06
    Apply it to practice

    Prioritise acute health, then address the binge/crash cycle and the social conditions that can keep it going.

Evidence reviewed6 August 2026
Professional boundaryThis course supports awareness and workforce development. It does not replace clinical assessment, safeguarding procedures, organisational policy or medical advice, and it does not qualify someone to practise outside their role.
Evidence sources and further guidance