Cocaine typically stays detectable in the blood for about 1 to 2 days after use. More specifically, cocaine itself has a short half-life of about 90 minutes, meaning it takes roughly 7.5 hours (about five half-lives) for the drug to be mostly eliminated from the bloodstream. However, its main metabolite, benzoylecgonine, can remain detectable in blood for up to 48 hours after use
. In summary:
- Cocaine can be detected in blood within minutes after use.
- It generally remains detectable for up to 1-2 days.
- The metabolite benzoylecgonine can extend detectability in blood to about 2 days (48 hours).
Detection times can vary depending on factors such as amount used, frequency of use, metabolism, and test sensitivity
