Posts Tagged ‘crack cocaine’
Cocaine Abuse and Addiction, a Blot on Mankind
Cocaine is a stimulant of the central nervous system and an appetite suppressant, which is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. Cocaine readily passes into the brain when ingested into the body. In the brain, causing a buildup of dopamine, which high levels in continuously stimulates nerve cells, causing the euphoria, or the ‘high’ we hear about.
Even though it is considered illegal by possession, cultivation, and distribution of cocaine for non-medicinal and non-government sanctioned purposes in virtually all parts of the world, it is one of the most freely commercialized products in the world. Ever since its discovery, it has destroyed many lives all through history due to its addictive properties.
The use of Cocaine is a cancer that is prevalent across all socioeconomic strata and is no respecter of age, demographics, economic, social, political, religious, and livelihood.
Cocaine Addiction
17 Facts About Cocaine That You May or May Not Know
1) In 2008, approximately 6% of high school seniors admitted to using cocaine at least once in their lifetime.
2) The effects of cocaine, both powered cocaine and crystallized, are short-lived which can lead to extensive use, including drug binges. The high from snorting powered cocaine typically lasts 15 to 30 minutes whereas the high from smoking crack cocaine lasts only 5 to 10 minutes.
3) Smoking crack actually allows the drug to reach the brain quicker than snorting, which explains why the high is much shorter. Studies show that because the high is shorter and crack reaches the brain quicker, crack cocaine is more addictive than powered cocaine.
4) The “high” produced from snorting or smoking cocaine includes sweating, rapid heart rate, and increased blood pressure. Risks include seizure and cardiac arrest.
Cocaine: 17 Facts About Cocaine That You May or May Not Know
1) In 2008, approximately 6% of high school seniors admitted to using cocaine at least once in their lifetime.
2) The effects of cocaine, both powered cocaine and crystallized, are short-lived which can lead to extensive use, including drug binges. The high from snorting powered cocaine typically lasts 15 to 30 minutes whereas the high from smoking crack cocaine lasts only 5 to 10 minutes.
3) Smoking crack actually allows the drug to reach the brain quicker than snorting, which explains why the high is much shorter. Studies show that because the high is shorter and crack reaches the brain quicker, crack cocaine is more addictive than powered cocaine.
4) The “high” produced from snorting or smoking cocaine includes sweating, rapid heart rate, and increased blood pressure. Risks include seizure and cardiac arrest.
Cocaine: 17 Facts About Cocaine That You May or May Not Know
1) In 2008, approximately 6% of high school seniors admitted to using cocaine at least once in their lifetime.
2) The effects of cocaine, both powered cocaine and crystallized, are short-lived which can lead to extensive use, including drug binges. The high from snorting powered cocaine typically lasts 15 to 30 minutes whereas the high from smoking crack cocaine lasts only 5 to 10 minutes.
3) Smoking crack actually allows the drug to reach the brain quicker than snorting, which explains why the high is much shorter. Studies show that because the high is shorter and crack reaches the brain quicker, crack cocaine is more addictive than powered cocaine.
4) The “high” produced from snorting or smoking cocaine includes sweating, rapid heart rate, and increased blood pressure. Risks include seizure and cardiac arrest.
Cocaine Effects – How Cocaine Can Affect Your Body
Cocaine Effects to the Brain
Cocaine can be smoked, injected, and snorted. All three methods of using illicit drugs can cause fatal effects to the brain and the body. Cocaine is a stimulant. It affects the body’s production of dopamine. Dopamine is a brain chemical that controls a person’s movement and pleasure.
Other Cocaine Effects
Short term illicit drugs effects include an increase in blood pressure, body temperature, and a person’s heart rate. In addition, someone high on illicit drugs will have constricted blood vessels and dilated pupils.
A illicit drugs user will often feel more mentally alert and not as tired as they would feel if they were not using illicit drugs. However, after repeated use of this drug, a person may experience seizures, irregular heart rhythms, and pain in the chest.
Fatal injuries from the use of illicit drugs include the following:
Cocaine – Facts About a Highly Addictive Drug, Life Threatening Side Effects and Recovery Challenges
Cocaine comes from the coca plant and has been used by the natives of South America for over a thousand years. This plant, erythroxylon coca, is common to many parts of South America. Cocaine use is common in much of the world and has been for centuries. Coca leaves were used by native populations to alleviate the rigors of high altitude and to diminish fatigue (1).
Cocaine causes addiction or dependency in the brain in a dramatic fashion. This drug increases several neurotransmitters in the pleasure center of the brain. The most important of these neurotransmitters are norepinephrine, epinephrine and dopamine. Dopamine is the major neurotransmitter providing the feeling of euphoria, which centers in a part of the brain known as the nucleus accumbens in the prefrontal cortex. This area is rich in dopamine receptor sites and is the main site for euphoria and pleasure. Cocaine also gives the user significant energy and flight of ideas. Pressured speech and paranoid behavior are also common. The euphoria is frequently the dominant effect and responsible for ongoing cocaine use, abuse, addiction or dependence.