COCAINE BY ARIN MERRILL THE HISTORY OF COCAINE

COCAINE BY ARIN MERRILL

THE HISTORY OF COCAINE � Cocaine is one of the two major psychoactive stimulants � Oldest, most potent drug � Cocaine is derived from coca leaves, grown in the Peruvian and Bolivian Andes in South America � Chewing coca leaves which have 2% of cocaine � During the last half of the 19 th century , several medicines and beverages were sold that contained cocaine such as coca cola

FORMS OF COCAINE � Powdered cocaine: commonly known as “coke” or “blow” dissolves in water, can be snorted or injected � Crack cocaine: commonly known as “crack” or “rock” made by a chemical process that leaves it in its freebase form so it can be smoked � Freebase: cocaine hydrochloride- dissolve drug in water, mix it with baking soda until the water evaporates and boils off

STREET NAMES FOR COCAINE � Snow � Flake � Binge � Blow � Dust � Charli � Nose candy � Bernice

ADMINISTRATION OF COCAINE � Snorted (Sniffed): Damage to nasal mucous membrane causing bloody nose, runny nose, or stuffy nose, less intense high but lasts longer 15 -30 minutes, � Injected: Increase risk of HIV due to sharing needles, intense effect/ “rush”, felt within seconds, only lasts 5 -10 minutes � Smoked: Intense effect, “rush”, felt within seconds, only lasts 5 -10 minutes

HOW COCAINE WORKS IN THE BRAIN � Cocaine enhances the activity of the dopamine in the brain � Cocaine travels to the region of the brain that controls pleasure � Cocaine blocks the reuptake process in the synapse � Structure of dopamine does not resemble the structure of dopamine � Chronic use of cocaine leads to loss of about 20% of the dopamine receptors causing a tendency toward a decline in the experience of pleasure

PRESENT-DAY COCAINE ABUSE � Peak of cocaine use in 1986 � 1. 9 million users in the past year � Amount of users has decreased over the years

ACUTE EFFECTS OF COCAINE � Drastic mood changes, burst of energy � Irritably, despondent, depressed � Powerful craving � Increased sexual arousal � Heart rate and respiration increases � Appetite diminishes � Blood vessels constrict, pupil dilate, BP rises � Sweaty and pale

CHRONIC EFFECCTS OF COCAINE � Tolerance levels increase, making the dosage needed to get the same high increase as well � Irritable, depressed, paranoid � Disturbing hallucinatory experiences � “Cocaine bugs” may be so severe, user may scratch open sores or even attempt to dig out “bugs” with knives � Continuous runny, bloody, or stuffy nose. Septum in nose may even cause lesion � Loss of appetite causing malnourishment

BEFORE AND AFTER

LIKELY USERS OF COCAINE � About 14% of US adults have tried cocaine � One in 40 adults have used in the past year � Young men 18 to 25 are the biggest cocaine users � 8% using in the past 12 months

COCAINE REHABILITAION CENTERS � First phase is detoxification and total abstinence � The cocaine abuser aims to achieve total withdrawal � Within the first 24 -48 ours of coming off of cocaine, user will experience profound depression, severe headaches, irritability, and difficulty sleeping � Most treatments are out patient programs

MIXING ALCOHOL AND COCAINE � The combination of cocaine and alcohol greatly increases the risk of death � When ingested together, produces a metabolite called Cocaethylene causing cocaine to stay in the blood stream longer � The combination of cocaine and alcohol causes a stronger, longer feeling of euphoria � Abnormal heart rhythms, labored breathing, increased blood pressure

MEDICAL USE OF COCAINE � Only acceptable medical use would be to use cocaine as a medical anesthetic � When applied topically on the skin, cocaine can block the transmission of nerve impulses, deadening all sensations from the area. � Only legitimate use for medical cocaine is to numb the nasal cavity or throat after surgery � Downfall of using cocaine for medical purposes is that the cocaine could be absorbed in the bloodstream � Other topical anesthetics are preferred

CRACK BABIES � Health officials focus on women who have been crack abusers and are pregnant � Children may experience long-term mental and physical deficits � Lower birth weights and smaller head circumferences � Displace tremors, excessive crying, disturbed sleep patterns, and lowered responsiveness

COCAINE CARTELS � There are many cartels throughout the southern America � Columbia, Bolivia, Peru, Mexico � As the distance the drug travels is increased, the value increases as well � As the US restricted drugs crossing the border, the Mexican drug cartels increased the amount of drugs they were smuggling in

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