CocaineBY: KATHERINE BECKER

What is cocaine?

Originally from the coca plant Derived from purified chemical cocaine hydrochloride Fine, white, crystalline powder

Classified as a Schedule II drug High potential for abuse Can be prescribed for legitimate medical uses

Street Drug Often called: Coke, C, Snow, Powder, Blow

How is it used?

Inhalation Smoke cocaine and inhale vapor

Intransanally Snort cocaine powder

Intravenously Dissolve cocaine in water and

inject it

Orally Rub cocaine powder on gums

Effects on the brain

Acts on the ventral tegmental area of the brain Stimulates pleasure centers of brain

Dopamine is released and builds up causing feelings of euphoria Last for about 10 mins

Dopamine is reabsorbed causing feelings of depression Often leads individuals to use higher doses of the

drug immediately after

Short-term effects

Short-term effects Slow onset; effects last for 15 – 30 mins Burst of energy, talkative, mentally alert, & hypersensitivity to sight, sound, touch Bizarre, erratic, & violent behavior Feelings of euphoria, restlessness, irritability, anxiety, panic, & paranoia

Short-term physiological effects Constricts blood vessels, dilated pupils, increased body temp, heart rate, & blood

pressure Tremors, vertigo, & muscle twitches

Long-term effects

Long-term effects Increased tolerance

Higher doses required to achieve desired effect Increased displeasure, irritability, restlessness, panic attacks, paranoia, & psychosis Auditory hallucinations

Long-term physiological effects Loss of smell, nosebleeds, problems swallowing, asthma, risk of contracting Hepatitis C

& HIV

Medical complications

Cardiovascular: heart arrhythmia, heart attack

Neurological: strokes, seizures, coma, intracerebral hemorrhage, impaired cognitive functions

Gastrointestinal: abdominal pain, nausea, ulcers

Weight loss, malnourishment

Parkinson’s disease

Sudden death

Striking Statistics

Cocaine is the second most trafficked illegal drug in the world

In 2014, there were an estimated 1.5 million current cocaine users aged 12 or older 0.6 percent of the U.S. population

In 2014, adults aged 18 - 25 years had a higher rate of current cocaine use than any other age group 1.4 percent pf the U.S. population

In 2015, there were about 7,000 deaths in the U.S. due to cocaine overdose

Quote

You know, if you’re caught with an ounce of cocaine, the chances are good you’re going to go to jail. If it happens repeatedly, you may go to jail for the rest of your life. But evidently, if you launder nearly a billion dollars for drug cartels and violate our international sanctions, your company pays a fine and you go home and sleep in your own bed at night, every single individual associated with this. I think that’s fundamentally wrong.- Elizabeth Warren

Thoughts & Opinions

I was surprised to learn about just how much cocaine is trafficked into the United States. I had no idea that cocaine was the second most trafficked drug in the world. I feel as though a significant amount of drug-related media today is dominated by focus on marijuana. I think that a bigger focus needs to be put on the illegal trafficking and use of cocaine.

I was also shocked by Elizabeth Warren’s quote regarding the regulation of cocaine-related drug trafficking. It is clear that more focus needs to be put on the actual root cause of many of the drug problems here in the United States. This root cause is the actual importation of cocaine into this country. While many individuals do face criminal charges due to the procession of cocaine, many other individuals face no more than a fine and a slap on the wrist for actually importing the drug into this country.

Discussion Questions

Do you know anyone who is or has been addicted to cocaine? How has it affected their life?

Young adults between the ages of 18-25 were found to have the highest rate of cocaine use. What more do you think could be done to educate these individuals, and to help reduce the high rate of drug use?

References

Cocaine. (2016, May). Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/cocaine/what-scope-cocaine-use-in-united-states

Crack Cocaine’s Effect on Brain (Simple Animation). (2017). Retrieved from http://drugabuse.com/cocaine-and-the-brain/

Cocaine Quotes. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.azquotes.com/quotes/topics/cocaine.html?p=5

International Statistics. (2017). Retrieved from http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/cocaine/international-statistics.html