Drugs Essays

What is Cocaine? Cocaine is the most powerful stimulant of natural origin. It is taken from the leaves of the coca plant which is native to the Andean highlands of South America. It is a potent brain stimulant and one of the most addictive drugs. In ancient times, South American natives used coca for religious and medicinal purposes. The natives took advantage of cocaine’s stimulant properties to fight fatigue and hunger or to enhance endurance.

Cocaine is one of the oldest, most powerful and most dangerous stimulants in the world. This powerfully addictive drug effects over 35 million people In the United States. Cocaine addiction prevents a person from being a productive member in our society. It also increases the cost for law enforcement and treatment facilities. It rapidly decreases the workplace, increases the homeless rate and needless deaths on a daily basis.

"Cocaine and crack are among the most addictive substances known to modern science, and they have already ruined the lives of millions of Americans" (Morganthau and Miller, 208). Cocaine and crack are both dangerous, harmful drugs. Though pleasurable effects can be obtained from these drugs, the use of crack and cocaine cannot be worth the actual consequences that are inflicted on mind and body. The bad effects of these drugs, by far outweigh the good. Because crack and cocaine are so closely related, it is important to have a firm understanding of both drugs.

1b. List and describe briefly the major structures of the brain, as presented in your textbook, including the function of those elements that are most related to psychoactive drug reaction.

ADD TITLE Illegal drugs has been a problem for many years in North America especially United States. Illegal drugs like cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and others are dangerous towards the society because they comprise harmful chemicals and toxins. These drugs trigger certain behaviour in some which causes them to act in a way that has an effect on their family and community. Some go beyond just impacting their family and community, and fall in the hands of association with criminal activities.

Today, cocaine is commonly derived from the coca plant that is most commonly grown in Columbia but also Peru and Bolivia. It is harvested and processed into a “coca paste” which the base of is extracted and turned into the white powder form of cocaine. Once the powder is made it is often mixed with laundry detergent, laxatives, or boric acid to cut down the potency and have more to distribute. Cocaine can be used snorting, smoking, injecting or swallowed. The United States outlawed cocaine in the early 1920’s but it wasn’t until the 1970’s and middle of the 1980’s that cocaine was at

When most people think of cocaine they mainly think of this drug being very powerful and addicted, and “cocaine is found in all

It is composed of many functional groups, which explain for the different types of functions. Cocaine has an educational background both in science and in history. It has been used recreationally throughout history and made its way to the European continent and other areas after the European colonized in South America. The native people of South America used to chew on coca leaves to extract the compound and use it as a source for energy and power to complete daily tasks. There is also evidence of the natives using this coca leave for medicine. The medicine component behind cocaine dates back to centuries ago. The skeletal remains show that some people used to chew on it as they were going through a medical procedure. These people had residue left in their cheekbones, and there was a hole in their skull. This signified that the people went through a medical procedure to get treatment for brain illnesses. The ones without these holes show that it was being used recreationally. It has a rich, detailed scientific background as many people sought to uncover the pure substance. Uncovering the pure substance only lead to further advancement in medicine; Cocaine was being used as a local anesthetic. People further went on to create derivatives of cocaine, which are the more popular anesthetics used in medicine right now. Some of these anesthetics include Benzocaine and Lidocaine. These anesthetics are typically used to treat ulcers. Cocaine, today, seems to be more of a social issue due to numerous people abusing the drug and getting addicted. It is evident that there are beneficial and detrimental uses of the drug. Cocaine can cause harm when it is abused or used in the wrong way. It can lead to serious complications and consequences. However, Cocaine also has great application in the medical field. It can be used as a good way and lead to many

gives the user a sense of well-being and extra energy. Cocaine is one of the most

Cocaine originated from coca leaves grown in South America. People in South America tried the coca leaves. Due to the energy boost it gave them they had a feeling that there were drugs in the leaves. They then tested their theory. The test was putting the leaves in a special liquid and letting them dry out. They turned out to be right when they saw a powdery substance. This is how cocaine was first made. It now continues to be made with higher technology. The way they make it now is that they shrivel out the leaf like before. Then they compact the powder together to make cocaine. After the powder is made they refine it even more to make crack cocaine. Cocaine itself is very addicting. Crack cocaine is an even more addicting drug.

To understand the devastating effects of cocaine one needs to understand its history and how it became one of the most potent drugs in today’s society. Cocaine is extracted from the coca leaves and is one of the oldest and natural stimulants. Ancient Incas and native Peruvians chewed cocas leaves for religious ceremonies and to counter the effects of living in thin mountain air and air sickness prevention. To this day Peruvian markets sell coca products, from teas, soft drinks, cocktails and candy; its use is accepted and is an integral part of their culture and way of life. So the question one must ask is when did this natural product become a notorious drug that is abused by many?

One of the most abused psychostimulant drugs in today’s society is cocaine (Hummel and Unterwald, 2002). Cocaine is a purified extract derived from the leaves of the Erthroxylum coca bush found in the Andes region of South America. Cocaine can undergo several different chemical processes producing either crack cocaine, known as “crack” or “rock”, which is smoked, or powered cocaine, known as “coke” or “blow”, which can be snorted or dissolved in water and injected. A longitudinal study of cocaine use amongst 1253 college students at one public university found a significant increase in cocaine use over time from 1st year to 4th year. By their 4th year of college, 36% of students had been offered cocaine at least once, with 13% having used it (Kasperski et al., 2011).

The line between public safety and the continuation of a high standard of privacy for all is a razor thin line; the United States government itself straddles it every day. Such is one very serious complication that the administrators and security forces of Coppell High School face: it is in the best interest of the administrators to prevent drug usage in the school as to stop the spread of any conflict (namely any characteristically delinquent behaviors such as interpersonal violence and school dropout) that they could potentially cause. However, it is also imperative to maintain some level of privacy so that students do not lash out against the administrators and school-wide morale remains fairly high. Numerous students and other relevant

A person’s body, in almost every aspect of its being, is addicted when one is a mild to chronic user and abuser. The nervous system, brain, and muscle tissue are all living in anticipation of the next high. So, for the addict, it is crucial that the cycle of behavior, is broken. The addict needs to pull up the anchor that keeps them from moving forward. This means changing environments, patterns and even sometimes friends and social associates.

Drugs are heavily used throughout the entire world. However, it is important to understand and not undermine the variability in which drugs are used. It is clear some are for distinct medical treatment and others are for recreational use. In the United States, marijuana has been and continues to be a very controversial drug. Some states have allowed marijuana consumption for medicinal purposes, while others have completely outlawed the drug. Those who are against the legalization and regulation of marijuana suggest the economical and health risk associated with consumption of the drug are too high. Although there is risk involved with the legalization of the marijuana, our country has already been risking too much banning the drug.