How the expansion of amphetamine use can affect a community?
When using cocaine, at a low dose, it enhances a person’s sexual desire by delaying ejaculations. However, at a higher dose of cocaine, the person’s sexual behavior can become at higher-risk due to unusual sexual practice that increases. This type of action and behavior can cause/pass the wide spread disease of HIV/AIDS.
Cocaine can also increase aggression and violence, especially those who are prone to anger. Large amounts of cocaine can trigger one’s emotion and their fright center can be overstimulated as well as their inhibitory function of the cortex, in the brain, are suppressed. When mixing alcohol and cocaine together, this can create violence as well as cardiovascular dangers.
During 1984 through 1994, 10 years into The Crack Epidemic, the homicide rate of African American males aged 14-17 doubled. Along with an increase of African American children in foster care, fetal death rates and weapon arrests. Roles lost in families and the community. Health and lifestyle of the African American communities depleting due to the powerful affects of crack cocaine. The African American community has been significantly affected by The Crack Epidemic in the areas of health and culture as a result of where the source of crack cocaine introduced itself in America, laws surrounding crack cocaine and the perception of the drug.
Cocaine is a stimulant drug that can be snorted, injected, or smoked. Cocaine comes from a Coca plant (Hart & Ksir, 2016). It can come from any of the four Erythroxylaceae plants, but it most commonly comes from the Erythroxylon Coca plant (Hart & Ksir, 2016). These plants are commonly grown in South America (Karch, 1998). Cocaine interacts with several neurotransmitters in the brain, such as “Dopamine, Serotonin, Gaba, and Glutamate” (Hart & Ksir, 2016). Upon consumption of the drug it also influences adrenaline reuptake and causes more to be released (Karch, 1998). Cocaine is a popular mainstream drug, it impacts the user positively and negatively, and has known stereotypes associated with it.
Cocaine usage is not as popular today as it was back in the 1900s but it continues to be abused as it was then. The drug has become addictive to those that used the drug intravenously, and free base (smoking crack). It has been said that individuals who try cocaine by inhaling, injecting, snorting would become addicted by using it for the first time. The individuals try to capture the pleasure or that high he/she first got when using the drug, the psychological effects of cocaine, addiction and dependence reports “only about 10 to 15% of those who initially try cocaine intranasally become abusers” (Gawin, 1991, p.1584).
Cocaine dependence has been linked to inappropriate sexual behaviors that in turn contribute to spread and increase of sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS. Winhusen et. al. (2013), states that there is a strong link between cocaine usage and increased sexual risk behavior (p.1). These claims are based on the findings of multiple studies that have proven the strong association between cocaine use and increased sexual risk behavior. Users of these drugs tend to ignore safe sex practices because of the effect of the drug on normal psychological functioning of the brain.
As a coach, I had a player, who was very polite and worked hard in practice. She was very timid around other teammates. She would stop in to talk to me and never had friends that I could see her relate to. Trying to fit in desperately, she was happy to be included in the “social” activities in college. She got pregnant and her boy friend and her were arrested for conspiracy to deliver cocaine and both sentenced to prison. This course states cocaine can cause an initial rush of pleasure that makes you alert, talkative and confident. With prolonged exposure to meth and cocaine, it can destroy up to 50% of dopamine – producing neurons in certain parts of the brain. This can lead to irreversible symptons of Parkinson’s disease. (Cocaine handout) After several letters from her in prison, she thanked me for being a good listener. I know her family closed their eyes thinking it’s not an addiction, but a social activity that they can quit at any time. This course explains how a higher level of dopamine on a regular basis is needed just to keep you feeling normal. Cocaine can make people feel paranoid, angry and hostile even when they are not high. Prolonged use causes sleep deprivation and loss of appetite. A person can become psychotic and experience hallucinations. It increases the risk that the user will experience a heart attack, stroke, or respiratory failure which can result in sudden death. (Foundation for a Drug-Free
Irritability, restlessness, insomnia and paranoia replace the euphoria. Physically, the long- term user will lose interest in sex and lose weight. Those who snort the drug wear out their nasal septum while those who inject it risk the chance of contracting hepatitis or AIDS. Cocaine related deaths are often a result of cardiac arrest or seizures followed by respiratory arrest. Over time, to the user's tolerance, the drug will build. To achieve the same effects as that of early usage requires larger doses of the drug. The user becomes psychologically dependent. The drug becomes pivotal to their thoughts, feelings and their daily activities. "Cocaine just made you feel really good. Then after you get done feeling really good then you start to get a Superman ego and that's the beginning of the end." ("Drug Wars"; A Frontline, PBS Production) Often times, cocaine addicts develop an illicit lifestyle to keep up with their drug habit. Cocaine's influence leads a user to stealing from family, friends and even employers. The lifestyle of addicts becomes as corrupt as the organizations that produce and supply the product.
Stimulants medication has been used for over 60 years to aid in ADHD symptoms. Some types of stimulants clinically used today are methylphenidate, dextroamphetamine, and mixed-salts amphetamine. According to Practice Parameter for the Use of Stimulant Medications in the Treatment of Children, Adolescents, and Adults, “Stimulants are among the most effective psychotropic medications in clinical use today”. The beneficial effects were discovered in 1937 when it was proven to improve academic performance and on-task behaviors in classrooms (Practice Parameter…).
The medical use of amphetamines was common in the 1950/60's when they were used to help cure depression and to help the user lose weight. An amphetamine is a drug that is a stimulant to the central nervous system. Amphetamines are colorless and may be inhaled, injected, or swallowed. Amphetamines are also used non-medically to avoid sleep, improve athletic performance, or to counter the effects of depressant drugs. Amphetamines are addictive. Because of this, when the user discontinues use or reduces the amount that they use, withdrawal symptoms may occur. Some withdrawal symptoms are as follows: severe exhaustion, deep sleep lasting from 24 to 48 hours, psychotic reaction, extreme hunger, deep depression, anxiety reactions, and long but
Amphetamines are a class II stimulant, this means that they have a high potential for abuse and have limited medical uses. “Amphetamine was first marketed in the 1930s as Benzedrine® in an over-the-counter inhaler to treat nasal congestion.” (DEA) By 1937 amphetamines were available in tablet form, and were used to treat ADHD, and Narcolepsy. Over the years, the use and abuse of clandestinely produced amphetamines have spread. “Today, clandestine laboratory production of amphetamines has mushroomed, and the abuse of the drug has increased dramatically.” (DEA)
There are different types of effects this drug can cause which is short term and long term damage. Short term effects cocaine can cause a short lived. Other effects is intense high which is followed by intense depression, edginess and you start to get addicted to the drug. Cocaine increases the chance of heart attack, stroke, seizure or respiratory breathing failure. Long term phrase is
The short-term effects of cocaine use are constricted blood vessels, dilated pupils, increased body temperature, increased heart rate, and increased blood pressure. Large amounts of cocaine may increase the users high but can result in erratic and violent behavior. There are some cocaine users report feelings of irritability, restlessness, anxiety, paranoia, and panic. Users may also experience tremors and muscle twitches. The most common symptoms are cardiovascular effects, including disturbances the rhythm of your heart and heart attacks; neurological effects, including seizures, strokes, coma, and headaches; and gastrointestinal complications, including nausea and abdominal pain. On rare occasions, death can occur on the first use of
Cocaine is one of the many most addictive drugs that can ruin your life and health.
Physiological effects of cocaine administration include: constricted blood vessels, dilated pupils, increased body temperature, heart rate increase, blood pressure increase, brain adaption along reward pathways, and decreased sensitivity to rewarding stimuli (Volkow, 2010). Regular use of cocaine may cause hallucinations, delusions of persecution, mood disturbances, and repetitive behaviors (Carlson, 2013). Acute euphoria caused by cocaine presents as excitability, hyper vigilance, and anxiety (Nnadi et al., 2005).
The source I am using is ASAP science. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxI7PTVRfhQ here is the link proved from the video. This video contains information on how cocaine effects the brain. This video was made by two scientists, who give quick information on certain scientifically researches. They usually do drawings to show you the whole process and how everything works. The videos the make can vary between two minutes to 5 minutes. They do many different types of videos ranging from the brain to how you feel your toes, or even how the things around us affect us. They also do live streams and answer any questions you have related to science. In this video they talk about the effects that cocaine has on the
The most immediate and also most dangerous method to take Cocaine is to inject. There is higher risk of an overdose. Additionally, there are associated risks such as HIV, Hepatitis and Syphilis due to pre-used needles and/or syringes (known as the