Variability in subjective responses to cocaine: initial experiences of college students

Eighty psychology students were administered a short self-report questionnaire that probed their initial and most recent experiences with cocaine. Most of the subjects were relatively inexperienced with cocaine; only five had used the drug more than 40 times. Measures of Global Positive and Global Negative responses to cocaine use were obtained. There was substantial variability in the response to cocaine on both the positive and negative effects scales, although there was no relationship between the magnitude of these self-reported effects of cocaine. The initial Global Positive (but not Global Negative) scores were correlated with latency to next use of cocaine and with lifetime use of the drug, suggesting that abuse potential of the drug is related to magnitude of initial positive effect. These data suggest that studies on predisposing factors in cocaine abuse should examine the basis for the variability in initial response to cocaine.