We have tested several solvents for the decontamination of control hair contaminated by cocaine. Methylene chloride was the most efficient solvent, eliminating more than 60% of contaminating cocaine. Two washes were used, additional washes were not effective in removing more cocaine. Sixteen hair and three pubic hair samples obtained from drug abusers were tested by different extraction procedures: acid, alkaline and enzymatic hydrolyses and extraction by methanol. This study revealed that acid and enzymatic hydrolyses gave higher extraction recoveries for drugs than methanolic extraction. After alkaline hydrolysis and methanolic extraction, extracted samples were dirty and the chromatograms obtained showed an important interfering background. We concluded that acid hydrolysis is the extraction method of choice.