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Cocaine
Cocaine, a drug that resembles white powder, often makes
the user feel alert, confident, talkative, and strong.
Cocaine use is most prevalent among males between the
ages of 18 and 25. Its effects last for about 45 minutes.
On the streets, cocaine may be diluted with cornstarch,
talcum powder, sugar, or other drugs. Because cocaine
is extremely addictive, the first-time user cannot possibly
predict when loss of control will occur. Street names
for cocaine are coke, snow, blow, Peruvian marching powder,
or C.
Methods of Use
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Chewed as a leaf
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Smoked as a paste or freebase lumps
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Snorted into mucous membranes of the nose as a powder or vapor
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Applied to mucous membranes of the mouth, vagina, or rectum as a powder
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Injected into the bloodstream in a water solution
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Used with heroin (called "speedball")
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Used with morphine (called "whiz bang")
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Dissolved in liquid and drunk
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Types
Cocaine can take many forms, including powder, paste, or vapor
(freebase). Coca leaves are sometimes chewed directly.
"Crack" cocaine is a popular
variant that is usually smoked, producing a fast, intense high.
It is rapidly addictive. Once addicted, users have a hard time
staying away from it.
Effects on the Central Nervous System
Cocaine acts on the nervous system almost immediately. It blocks
the biochemical mechanism that regulates levels of the
neurotransmitter
called dopamine
in the central nervous system.
The end result is increased amounts of dopamine, leading to
stimulation of pleasure centers in the brain.
This mechanism accounts for both the immediate euphoric "rush" of
the cocaine experience and the reinforcing effects that lead to
long-term addiction. Cocaine also causes increased levels of another
important neurotransmitter called serotonin. Other specific
neurochemical effects of cocaine use include feelings of wakefulness
and increases in heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature.
Intoxication
Cocaine acts on the nervous system almost immediately. Cocaine
intoxication may cause hallucinations and other perceptual disturbances,
tachycardia, agitation, panic, paranoia, impulsive and aggressive
behavior, and poor judgment. Cardiac or respiratory distress can
cause death in some cases. Common side effects include:
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Difficulty passing urine
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Dizziness
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Enlarged pupils
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Fast or irregular heartbeat
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Headache
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Increased sweating
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Mood swings
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Paranoia
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Neutralized sense of taste
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Stomach pain
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Nausea and vomiting
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Numbness or tingling in extremities
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Seizures or convulsions
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Acute stimulant intoxication is often
very similar to symptoms shown by schizophrenic or otherwise
psychotic
individuals. When these symptoms subside,
the user may "crash" and experience depression, anxiety,
sleep disturbance, and other disturbances accompanied
by a craving for more of the drug.
Life Risks
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Mixing alcohol and cocaine results in the creation
of a new chemical compound called cocaethylene, which
intensifies cocaine's effects and increases the risk
of sudden death due to depressed life-support functions,
such as breathing.
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Long-term use of these drugs has
been associated with personality changes that include
increased paranoia and aggression, especially in adolescents.
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Cocaine is an illegal substance. Addicts can put themselves
in dangerous situations while attempting to buy their
drugs. Obtaining, using, and especially dealing cocaine
carries significant legal penalties, including lengthy
jail times.
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Withdrawal
Cocaine withdrawal causes characteristic
symptoms of depression that can last for years. How
the drug induces long-term depression is not known,
but cocaine apparently causes changes in the
serotonin
system in the central nervous system. Other withdrawal
symptoms from cocaine may involve:
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Apathy and listlessness
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Oversleeping
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Intense cravings for cocaine
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Loss of appetite
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Warning Signs
A person who is addicted to cocaine may:
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Change the circle of friends and withdraw from non-using family and friends
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Borrow or steal money to buy cocaine
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Become preoccupied with cocaine
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Compulsively seek cocaine and dwell on the next use of it
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Experience personality changes, poor judgment, and loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities
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Behave evasively or lie about activities or whereabouts
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