Cocaine dependence continues to be a substantial public health problem in the United States, yet no clearly effective pharmacotherapy has been identified. There are approximately 1.6 million current users of cocaine in the United States, and the past-year prevalence of cocaine dependence is estimated to be 1.1%. Controlled trials of behavioral treatments for cocaine dependence yield abstinence rates of up to 30%, with the majority of patients continuing to use cocaine. Scores of double-blind, placebo-controlled pharmacotherapy clinical trials for cocaine dependence have been conducted testing agents drawn from a wide variety of medication classes. Stimulants have shown promise as a treatment for cocaine dependence, despite resistance in the field to using controlled substances as therapeutic agents for addictive disorders.