Cocaine
Cocaine is a powerfully addictive drug of abuse. Once having tried cocaine, an individual cannot predict or control the extent to which he or she will continue to use the drug. The major routes of administration of cocaine are sniffing or snorting, injecting, and smoking. Snorting is the process of inhaling cocaine powder through the nose where it is absorbed into the bloodstream through the nasal tissues. Injecting is the act of using a needle to release the drug directly into the bloodstream. Smoking involves inhaling cocaine vapor or smoke into the lungs where absorption into the bloodstream is as rapid as by injection. "Crack" is the street name given to cocaine that has been processed from cocaine hydrochloride to a free base for smoking. Rather than requiring the more volatile method of processing cocaine-using ether, crack cocaine is processed with ammonia or sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and water and heated to remove the hydrochloride, thus producing a form of cocaine that can be smoked. The term "crack" refers to the crackling sound heard when the mixture is smoked, presumably from the sodium bicarbonate. (Madras, p5)There is great risk whether cocaine is ingested b
(Landry, p42)Some users of cocaine report feelings of restlessness, irritability, and anxiety. Some people who are new to cocaine try it to increase work productivity to work longer hours and be supposedly more creative. Cocaine is a highly addicting drug, which can lead to enormous medical complications. (Landry, p20)Cocaine addiction is a chronic, relapsing "brain disease" characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use as a result of chemical imbalances in the brain. Pregnant cocaine users risk miscarriages, severe hemorrhaging, premature births, and stillbirths. Increased energy, decreased appetite, and increased heart rate and blood pressure are some short-term effects that will be noticed by most first time cocaine used. Some physical symptoms are as follows: convulsions, nausea, blurred vision, chest pain, fever, muscle spasms, and coma. Decreased appetite is common for most cocaine users. In rare instances, sudden death can occur on the first use of cocaine or unexpectedly thereafter. The duration of cocaine's immediate euphoric effects, which include hyper-stimulation, reduced fatigue, and mental clarity, depends on the route of administration. It appears that compulsive cocaine use may develop even more rapidly if the substance is smoked rather than snorted. Short-term cocaine effects appear almost immediately after a single use. What they do not realize is that cocaine use can disrupt the chemical balance in the brain; depleting the "feel good" chemicals the brain needs to Harris 6function normally after the "high" wears off. The faster the absorption, the higher it intense. Scientific evidence suggests that the powerful neuropsychological reinforcing property of cocaine is responsible for an individual's continued use, despite harmful physical and social consequences.
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