Can you die from cocaine?

Yes. In 2014, more than 5,400 people died from a cocaine overdose. Males are much more likely to die in this way than are females. During the year, 3,900 males overdosed on cocaine, as compared with 1,500 females who died as a result of a cocaine overdose.1

Cocaine can be deadly when taken in large doses or when mixed with other drugs or alcohol. Cocaine-related deaths are often a result of the heart stopping (cardiac arrest) followed by stopped breathing. Abusing cocaine with alcohol or other drugs increases these dangers, including the risk of overdose. For example, combining cocaine and heroin (known as a “speedball”) puts a person at higher risk of death from an overdose.

In rare instances, sudden death can occur on the first use of cocaine or soon after.

courtesy of NIDA