Stimulant Cocaine Research Paper

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.

f. .stimulants can cause enhanced brain activity increase and llertness in energy elevated blood pressure increase heart rate increase respiration and sleep deprivation…. Ultimately these three drugs possess the same long term affect when abused; high potential for physical dependence and addiction.

Cocaine’s mode of action has been shown to involve the dopamine receptors. This paper will discuss how cocaine affects dopamine receptors, the mode of addiction, how cocaine affects the frontal brain metabolic activities, as well as the role of excitatory amino acids in cocaine’s mechanism. I will also discuss how cocaine affects another system through its mechanism on the brain—the renin angiotensin system.

One of the most common drugs use across the nation is Cocaine. Cocaine is classified as a stimulant, which is a group of drugs that cause short-term increase in the mental or physical state. Cocaine has a rich, long history dated back hundreds of years. The native people of South America first used it; they used to chew on it. The natives introduced this drug to the Spaniards when they landed on the continent. This lead to the research of Coca leaves a few hundred years later in Europe. Scientists sought o isolate and name the compound. After it was isolated, it was used as an anesthetic and other medical purposes for a couple of years. It was a useful anesthetic for eye and nasal surgery. However, today, it has very limited anesthetic use.

During the late 1980s, crack cocaine use was deemed an epidemic. The media was filled with segments on what crack was and how terrible it was for someone to use. Even President George H.W. Bush delivered a presidential address on the issue stating “it’s [crack] as innocent looking as candy, but it’s turning our cities into battle zones and it’s murdering our children” (Bracy, 2015). The image of a “crackhead” was painted in the minds of Americans and that image, unfortunately, was of young African Americans in low income areas smoking crack in dark allies. It was not representative of the whole population of men and women who actually use crack; which is mostly white. However, it is the image that is still associated with crack cocaine use

Crack cocaine is known as Coke, you can snort it, inhale it, and inject it in your body. Word, has it, Coke is a recreational drug and it’s not good for you. Crack Cocaine come from a plant that the native used. Crack Cocaine bothers the brain and can be damaged by a cause dopamine release and it acts on your feelings. It can increase blood pressure, can cause the lack of eating, and it can also increase heart rate. cocaine can cause the lose their sense of smelling. Crack Cocaine users are often depressed and paranoia. Crack Cocaine can lead to heart attacks, strokes, headaches and abdominal pain. It also affects the kidneys too. Ammonia, and lime have been applied diesel sprayed over the mixture with water can. The cement and the minced

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.

But because they have a longer half-life and can rapidly cross the blood brain barrier, they are the choice of users. (Doweiko, 2014) Amphetamines and stimulants in general excite the CNS through stimulation of norepinephrine (Momaya, Fawal, & Estes, 2015), a neurotransmitter that helps, in conjunction with epinephrine to respond to the ?fight or flight? reaction to stress (Parse, 2015). Stimulants cause the release of norepinephrine from storage in sympathetic nerve endings. It then leads to the increase of arousal, heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure. (Momaya, Fawal, & Estes, 2015) When taken orally, the stimulant is absorbed through the lining of the small intestine. It then reaches the brain through the bloodstream and produces regional effects. That is, it will cause a neurotransmitter activity in one region, while shutting of another region. Stimulants also seem to have an effect to alter the dopamine neurotransmission system. (Doweiko, 2014) The system is instrumental for movement and plays a role in Parkinson?s Disease when shut off. It also involves our pleasure center (rewarding properties), thus which is why we reach a euphoric state with certain stimulants. (Dopamine Neurotransmitter, 2015) (Steinkellner, Freissmuth, Sitte, & Montgomery,

Cocaine is one of the most euphoric, exciting, fun substances in the world - and also the most dangerous. It creates the perfect feeling, the invincible high. It is so strong and has so many beneficial qualities that it was once called the miracle drug, but the miracle drug has its downsides too. The miracle drug is dangerous. The miracle drug is deadly. Cocaine is a highly addictive and dangerous drug that alters the mind and body of humans of all ages and consequently changes their entire thought process. It chemically alters the mind, increases the physical ability of people (while also destroying their bodies) and morphs their entire mental state into something great (while also turning them into paranoid schizophrenics).

Methamphetamine and cocaine are both in the category of drugs known as stimulants. “Central nervous system are drugs that increase not only the activity of the CNS but also that of the ANS, (autonomic nervous system) resulting in both euphoria and mood enhancement” (Csiernik, R. 2014).

Or they are similar enough to the brain’s natural chemical messengers that they trick brain receptors into activating nerve cells. Stimulants such as cocaine and methamphetamines cause the neurons to release too much of the neurotransmitters, causing the sensation users describe as the brain “racing.”

Cocaine is a powerfully addictive stimulant drug that has become increasingly prevalent due to its rewarding effects. The rewarding effects of cocaine are largely mediated by its actions in blocking brain dopamine transmitters to increase extracellular levels of the neurotransmitter in the brain’s reward circuits (Hancock & McKim, 2012). Cocaine is administered through the nose, where it is absorbed through the nasal tissues, or intravenously into the bloodstream. Once cocaine has been administered into the body, like Amphetamines, it stimulates the sympathetic nervous system causing an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. The effect of cocaine on mood and performance is what creates a strong dependence among users. In low doses, it produces euphoria, exhilaration, feelings of well-being, and an increased interest in sex. As the doses increase, the feelings are replaced by anxiety, hyperactivity, sleep deprivation, and paranoia (Hancock & McKim, 2012).

They enhance certain chemicals in the brain, these chemicals cause increases in blood pressure, alertness, attention, heart rate, energy, and respiration.  Stimulants are a class of drugs that consists of illegal drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamine and MDMA (ecstasy), as well as legal drugs such as nicotine, caffeine and prescription medications such as Ritalin and Adderall. These drugs increase alertness, energy and attention and boost mood. People usually use stimulants to lose weight without trying, meet a deadline at work or school without losing focus or catching any shut-eye. While stimulants used to be prescribed for a number of health conditions, their adverse effects have limited their legal use to a few disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy. Stimulants can be injected or smoked or swallowed for longer lasting but less intense

The drug cocaine is one of the most powerful and harmful drug around. It is addictive and directly affects the brain. Cocaine is a social issue because people who are addicted to this drug walk around on the streets and others may feel as if it is a disturbance.

Probably one of the most common forms of psychoactive drugs is stimulants. Stimulants are a class of psychoactive drugs that elevate mood, increase feelings of well-being, and increase energy and alertness. Nearly everybody has tried a stimulant and many people rely on them every single day. The best example of this is the drug caffeine, which is in many of the sodas or coffee we drink. Other forms of stimulants include: cocaine, methamphetamine, amphetamines, methylphenidate, nicotine, and MDMA. An additional common stimulant is nicotine, which is found in various types of tobacco. Stimulants change the way the brain functions by inhibiting neurons, which are nerve cells. These nerve cells communicate using neurotransmitters . One of the neurotransmitters they affect is dopamine, which makes people feel good. Dopamine can be released naturally by simply doing something you enjoy such as riding a bike or eating your favorite food. While these drugs may give the user pleasure, continual use may render their dopamine system useless. This will give the user little to no pleasure, which is often followed by an increased amount used in order to chase that high (NIDA).