Predicting craving among cocaine users

IntroductionCraving for cocaine seems to play an important role in the continued use of and dependence on the substance.Aimsto describe characteristics of the craving phenomenon in a sample of cocaine users and to identify those that could predict the appearance of the phenomenon.Method205 cocaine users attending an outpatient clinic were interviewed to assess patterns of drug consumption and characteristics of craving for the drug.FindingsSubjects were mostly young (24.8 ± 12.8 years) and male (86.2%). One hundred and two subjects (49.8%) were addicted to cocaine and the remainders (50.2%) were non-addicted occasional cocaine users. The majority of subjects (60.5%) reported having had craving episodes during the previous week. Frequency of cocaine use during the previous month correlated with the number of reported craving fits (r = 0.425; p < 0.001) and with the duration of the craving fits (r = 0.351; p < 0.001). Users of crack reported more craving episodes than did the users of snorted cocaine (p < 0.001) and the frequency of craving fits was inversely proportional to the duration of abstinence from the drug (r = − 0.405; p < 0.001).ConclusionBoth the method of drug consumption and the abstinence period elapsed since previous drug intake were identified as predictive parameters of craving.