The Pros And Cons Of Cocaine

One can feel the effects of cocaine almost immediately after use, with these effects lasting only a few minutes or hours. The duration of cocaine 's effects depends upon how it is administered. The faster the drug is absorbed, the more intense the high, but also the shorter the duration. The high from snorting is relatively slow to arrive but it may last 15 to 30 minutes. In contrast, the effects from smoking are more immediate but may last only 5 to 10 minutes. “In the brain, cocaine interferes with the chemical messengers -- neurotransmitters -- that nerves use to communicate with each other. Cocaine blocks norepinephrine, serotonin, dopamine, and other neurotransmitters from being reabsorbed. The resulting

Some long term effects of Cocaine are ; Permanent damage to blood vessels of heart and brain , High blood pressure, which could lead to heart attacks, strokes, and death . Liver, kidney and lung damage , Respiratory failure if smoked , I nfectious diseases if injected , Malnutrition,

"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.

One of the most detrimental and addictive narcotics in the world today is cocaine. Cocaine dates back as early as 3000 BC. Ancient Incas used the coca leaves to counter the effects of living in thin mountain air. Native Peruvians in the 1500’s chewed the plant strictly for religious ceremonies. Andean Indians are believed to chew the leaves of the coca plant to increase their energy for work while decreasing their hunger and pain. It wasn’t until 1859 when a German chemist Albert Niemann successfully extracted the narcotic from the coca leaf. In the 1880’s, it was freely prescribed by physicians for “maladies as exhaustion, depression, and morphine addiction and was available in many patent medicines” (“Cocaine”), until users and doctors began to realize its dangers and side effects. While it was not fully understood at the time, cocaine has many devastating and lasting effects on the user.

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 has been shown to be the most common, most potent stimulant out there. It was found in the leaves of the erythroxylon coca plant in the Andean highlands, and it was used for many centuries as a relaxant and energizing tea by natives. It was used in surgeries to numb the nose, throat or eyes. It was useful in these areas because it constricted blood vessels and helped stop blood flow as well as acted as an anesthetic (Virtual Mass Spectrometry Laboratory 2003). Today cocaine is still used in hospitals for the same reason. Cocaine was also thought to be used to treat depression, alcoholism, and addiction to morphine. It was sold in pharmacies in Canada until around 1911. It made a return in the 1960s. Cocaine is illegal and is sold

Cocaine has much impact on your body. Cocaine is a stimulant that increases your body,

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.

When the user starts to come down from the high things can take a turn for the worst. Addicts, and or users can become very angry and irritable. The feeling of high from cocaine ending leaves someone to feel very uncomfortable. Anyone who feels irritable or uncomfortable is prone to become loud, and violent with their surroundings’. The demand for more cocaine will increase dramatically. If cocaine users do not get more cocaine, things can and most likely turn for the worst. No matter if one is sober or under the influence no one wants to be angry. It’s human nature to be happy, however the use of cocaine comes between finding a happiness without substance. The only way for an addicts to be has happy as they were before is to continue to put drugs into their body. Users want to “recapture the initial high” (Morton). The only way to get the initial high is to feed the body more

Cocaine is an intense, euphoria-producing stimulant drug with strong addictive potential (Drug Enforcement Administration). Cocaine is derived from the coca plant grown in Bolivia, Peru, and Colombia. When injected, snorted, or smoked it blocks the reuptake of dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain that causes a “rush” through the body. There are two forms of cocaine, freebase and crack. This illicit drug, when used, will increase the heart rate, blood pressure, dilate the pupils, insomnia, and loss of appetite. People who use cocaine may seem excited and may act more confident than when they weren’t under the influence. Cocaine use alters the mental state of the individual who is using and causes paranoia, poor judgment, delusions and hallucinations. Those who have a been using for a long time will often have a runny nose or sometimes nose bleeds. In addition, their craving for the drug will intensify which often results in need for higher doses. Some of the street slang names you may hear is coke, crack, soda and nose candy (Hanson, G. et al, 2015).

Coca is one of the oldest, most potent and dangerous stimulants of natural origin. It was first extracted from its leaves and isolated into cocaine in 1859. The drug rapidly became popular. But it took over 20 yrs. before it was popular in the medical community. Then, in 1886, coca leaves were an added ingredient Coca-Cola. Sigmund Freud, who used the drug himself, was the 1st person to promote cocaine as a tonic to cure depression and sexual impotence calling it a “magical” substance. He promoted the drug to friends, one of whom ended up suffering from paranoid hallucinations from it. He also had a patient die from a high dose that he had prescribed. In1905 snorting cocaine became

Cocaine is one of the most highly abused drugs in the world. It is extracted from coca leaves, and mixed with other substances such as: corn starch, talcum powder, and/or other drugs, that results in a powder stimulant. While many users snort cocaine, it can also be ingested or rubbed on the gums, generally for its euphoric effects.

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 is a drug that is abused everywhere throughout the world for years and will probably continue as we move forward in the fight to stop it. To stop the epidemic of Cocaine consumption would be a huge step in terminating the abuse of drugs. Cocaine was originated from the naturally growing coca bush and facts say that ancient Incas in the Andes chewed coca leaves to get their hearts racing and to speed their breathing to counter the effects of living in thin mountain

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