Cocaine and molly are both commonly misused drugs. But what happens if you take them both at once?
Taking two drugs at the same time is known as polysubstance use.1 Polysubstance use can be intentional, like taking both cocaine and molly together to experience the combined effect. It can also be unintentional, which happens when a drug is mixed or cut with another drug that the user doesn’t know about.1
Polysubstance use can be extremely unpredictable and dangerous, and the results are often stronger than taking either drug on its own. In 2019 alone, almost half of all overdose deaths involved multiple drugs.2 In fact, the more drugs you take at a time, the higher the chance of something going wrong.
This is why it’s vital to understand the effects of mixing two drugs like cocaine and molly, how it’s different from taking either one alone, and what to do if you suspect an overdose.
Cocaine and Molly Compared
Cocaine and molly are both stimulants. Stimulants are a type of drug that speeds up your body’s various systems. They can make you feel more alert, awake, and full of energy. Other common stimulants include caffeine (found in coffee) and nicotine (found in cigarettes).
Both cocaine and molly work by stimulating the central nervous system and increasing the production of brain chemicals like dopamine. Each can produce significant and life-threatening effects when taken on its own. These individual effects are worth knowing to better understand how the two drugs can affect you if combined.
What is Cocaine?
Cocaine is a highly addictive stimulant, commonly known as coke or crack. The United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) classifies it as a Schedule II drug, which indicates that it has a high potential for misuse and addiction, and can be very dangerous.3
Cocaine production and use currently appear to be on the rise. In 2019, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimated that the number of cocaine users reached 20 million worldwide.4
As a recreational street drug, cocaine appears as a fine white powder, which is commonly snorted. It produces its effects by increasing dopamine in the brain circuits related to movement and rewards. In the short term, cocaine produces increased happiness, energy, mental alertness, irritability, and paranoia. Large amounts can lead to strange, unpredictable behavior.5
Some of the physical effects of cocaine use can also include:5
- constricted blood vessels
- dilated pupils
- nausea
- increased body temperature
- increased blood pressure
- a fast or irregular heartbeat
- tremors
- restlessness
What is Molly?
Molly is a synthetic drug commonly known as MDMA or Ecstasy. It is commonly used at clubs and raves. The DEA classifies it as a Schedule I drug, which means that it has a high potential for misuse and no currently accepted medical use.
Molly mimics the effects of both hallucinogens and stimulants and is most commonly taken as a capsule or tablet.3 It produces its effects by increasing the production of three main brain chemicals:6
- Dopamine, which increases energy and reinforces the reward system
- Norepinephrine, which increases heart rate and blood pressure
- Serotonin, which affects a wide range of things including appetite, mood, sleep, sexual arousal, and trust.
Molly use can also cause these concerning physical effects:6
- nausea
- muscle cramps
- jaw clenching
- blurry vision
- chills and sweats
The Effects and Danger of Mixing Cocaine and Molly
Now that we know the effects of taking either cocaine or molly on its own, what happens if they are combined?
Mixing cocaine and molly is sometimes referred to as “bumping up” or “cloud mind”.7 The combination of the two can compound the risks of both drugs and have life-threatening results.
When mixed, a smaller amount of a cocaine and molly combination can produce a more significant effect compared to a larger amount of either drug taken in isolation.7 In other words, mixing cocaine and molly can have an unexpectedly intense effect. This adds to the risk of overdose, as users are more likely to underestimate the effects.
Mixing cocaine and molly can also increase your risk of substance-induced psychosis, which is a serious mental condition in which you lose touch with reality and can become a danger to yourself and others. It might also increase your risk of having a panic attack.
Mixing cocaine and molly can also increase their long-term effects, leading to more severe health issues compared to long-term use of either cocaine or molly alone.
Long-Term Risks of Mixing Cocaine and Molly
The long-term health impact of mixing cocaine and molly can be life-threatening.
Cocaine and molly are both stimulants, also known as “uppers”. Combining two stimulants can cause a dangerous increase to your heart rate and blood pressure. This can increase your risk of:1,7
- heart attack
- liver damage
- stroke
- brain injury
Ongoing, long-term use of cocaine and molly can be extremely damaging to your health. If you or a loved one are addicted to cocaine and molly, don’t wait to get help. Addiction treatment in Palm Springs is available to help you on the road to recovery.
Signs of Cocaine and Molly Overdose
An overdose of cocaine and molly can be life-threatening. It is vital to know the signs of a potential cocaine and molly overdose so you can seek immediate help.
If you suspect an overdose of cocaine and molly, you should call 911 immediately.
There are a number of signs and symptoms to look out for in yourself and others if you have any reason to suspect an overdose. When mixing two stimulants like cocaine and molly, signs of an overdose may be:8
- rapid breathing
- increased body temperature
- nausea
- vomiting
- chest pain
- seizures
- tremors
If you are unsure, it is best to treat the situation like an overdose to be safe and call 911 immediately. Your quick action could save a life.
Treatment for Addiction to Cocaine and Molly
If you or a loved one struggles with addiction to cocaine and molly or any other substance, help is available right now.
California Behavioral Health offers dual diagnosis treatment to help you with addiction to multiple substances like cocaine and molly by taking your whole self into account. At our luxury Palm Springs drug rehab facility, substance use and mental health are treated in parallel so that you can understand yourself better.
Call us on 855- 404-2172 or contact us online and get empowered today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some of the most asked questions about mixing cocaine and molly.
What are other names for cocaine?
Like many drugs, cocaine is known by a lot of different street or slang names. Some of these other names for cocaine include:9, 10
- Blow
- Bump
- C
- Candy
- Charlie
- Coca
- Coke
- Crank
- Flake
- Rock
- Snow
- Soda cot
- Toot
What are other names for molly?
As with other drugs, molly is known by a lot of different street or slang names. Some other names for molly include:11,12
- Adam
- Beans
- Biscuit
- Clarity
- Disco Biscuit
- E
- Ecstasy
- Eve
- Go
- Hug
- Hug drug
- Love drug
- Lover’s speed
- MDMA
- Peace
- STP
- X
- XTC
What are the effects of cocaine?
Cocaine is a highly addictive stimulant. It can produce a range of effects including:5
- euphoria
- increased energy and alertness
- irritability
- paranoia
- unpredictable behavior
- constricted blood vessels
- dilated pupils
- nausea
- increased body temperature
- increased blood pressure
- a fast or irregular heartbeat
- tremors
- restlessness
Cocaine is highly addictive, and long-term use can have severe health impacts.
What are the effects of molly?
Molly is a synthetic drug that has the effects of both stimulants and hallucinogens. Its effects include:6
- increased energy
- higher heart rate
- increased blood pressure
- changes in appetite, mood, sleep, and sexual arousal
- amplified feeling of trust
- nausea
- muscle cramps
- jaw clenching
- blurry vision
- chills and sweats
Why do people mix drugs?
People might mix drugs like cocaine and molly for a few different reasons.
Drugs are often combined deliberately. Sometimes the goal is to enhance one of the drugs with the other or to achieve an even bigger high than they might be able to get from a single drug. Other times they are trying to reduce the negative side effects of using or coming down from another drug or to minimize withdrawal symptoms.
Drugs can also be combined unintentionally. This commonly happens when a user takes a drug that is cut with another drug that they aren’t aware of.
Whatever the reason, combining drugs can be dangerous. Any combination of drugs can have unpredictable and life-threatening effects.
What happens when you mix cocaine and molly?
When you mix cocaine and molly, their risks can increase and have life-threatening consequences. Because they are both stimulants, combining cocaine and molly can put you at risk for:7
- anxiety attacks
- psychosis
- heart attacks
- liver damage
- stroke
- brain injury
It takes less of a cocaine and molly mixture to have the same effects as a larger amount of either drug on its own.7
What should I do if I suspect a cocaine and molly overdose?
If you suspect an overdose of cocaine and molly or any other substance, call 911 right away.
Symptoms you can look for that may signal an overdose include:8
- rapid breathing
- increased body temperature
- nausea
- vomiting
- chest pain
- seizures
- tremors
If you have any reason to suspect an overdose but aren’t sure, it’s always best to treat the situation like it is an overdose to be safe.
Resources
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, July 19). Polysubstance use facts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved November 29, 2021, from https://www.cdc.gov/stopoverdose/polysubstance-use/index.html.
2. O’Donnell J, Gladden RM, Mattson CL, Hunter CT, Davis NL. Vital Signs: Characteristics of Drug Overdose Deaths Involving Opioids and Stimulants — 24 States and the District of Columbia, January–June 2019. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2020; 69:1189–1197. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6935a1
3. Drug scheduling. DEA. (n.d.). Retrieved November 30, 2021, from https://www.dea.gov/drug-information/drug-scheduling.
4. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2021, June). World Drug Report 2021. Drug Market Trends: Cocaine Amphetamine-Type Stimulants. https://www.unodc.org/res/wdr2021/field/WDR21_Booklet_4.pdf
5. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2021, June 13). What are the short-term effects of cocaine use? National Institute on Drug Abuse. Retrieved November 30, 2021, from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/cocaine/what-are-short-term-effects-cocaine-use.
6. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2021, June 7). MDMA (Ecstasy/Molly) DrugFacts. National Institute on Drug Abuse. Retrieved November 30, 2021, from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/mdma-ecstasymolly.
7. Mohamed, Wael & ben hamida, Sami & Cassel, Jean-Christophe & Vasconcelos, Anne & Jones, Byron. (2011). MDMA: Interactions with other psychoactive drugs. Pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavior. 99. 759-74. 10.1016/j.pbb.2011.06.032.
8. O’Donnell J, Gladden RM, Mattson CL, Hunter CT, Davis NL. Vital Signs: Characteristics of Drug Overdose Deaths Involving Opioids and Stimulants — 24 States and the District of Columbia, January–June 2019. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2020;69:1189–1197. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6935a1
9. Cocaine. DEA. (n.d.). Retrieved November 30, 2021, from https://www.dea.gov/factsheets/cocaine.
10. Abuse, N. I. on D. (2021, April 7). What are the common street names for cocaine? NIDA for Teens. Retrieved November 29, 2021, from https://teens.drugabuse.gov/what-are-common-street-names-cocaine.
11. Ecstasy or MDMA (also known as Molly). DEA. (n.d.). Retrieved November 30, 2021, from https://www.dea.gov/factsheets/ecstasy-or-mdma-also-known-molly.
12. Abuse, N. I. on D. (2021, April 7). What are the common street names for MDMA? NIDA for Teens. Retrieved November 29, 2021, from https://teens.drugabuse.gov/what-are-common-street-names-mdma.
