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Classification: Stimulant Methods of use: Sniffing or
snorting, inhalation, smoking or injecting. Dependence potential:
psychologically and physically addictive. What is cocaine? Cocaine is a short acting powerful, central nervous system stimulant that
comes from the coca bush which grows widely in South America. The cocaine most commonly used in the UK is the white crystalline powder
extracted from the coca leaves (actually a compound called cocaine
hydrochloride). The drug bought on
the streets is a mixture of pure cocaine and other substances such as flour,
talcum powder, sugar and any other stimulants or powders that are added to
increase the bulk of the supply. Cocaine is often snorted through the nose. Razor blades are used to crush any large pieces or lumps of
cocaine and to form 'lines' that make snorting easier.
A rolled up bank note or plastic outer of a biro is often used.
Some users inject cocaine into a muscle or vein; or it is converted into
a smokable form called freebase. Freebase is street cocaine that is converted to a pure base by removing
the hydrochloride salt and many of the added adulterants (talc, flour, etc).
The end product, freebase, is not water soluble - the only way to get it
into the body system is to smoke it. What is Crack? Crack is a light brown or beige pellet of ready to smoke freebase
cocaine. It is formed when powdered
cocaine is melted with water. When
the liquid cools it is mixed with baking soda and cold water and then cut into
small pieces which then harden. Other ways of using
cocaine. The most dangerous form of smokable cocaine is coca paste made by using
petrol or sulphuric acid to extract a smokable paste that is dried and then
smoked in a pipe or crushed into a rolled-up cigarette. LE25/1/0600 Cocaine may be used with other drugs to produce a variety of effects.
'Speedballing is a combination of cocaine and heroin injected by syringe.
'Spaceballing' is a sprinkling of liquid PCP (phencyclidine) on crack
cocaine before snorting. Short-term effects of
cocaine When cocaine is snorted the effects begin within a few minutes, peaking
at fifteen or twenty minutes and disappearing after a few hours.
Low doses are used to produce a short period of euphoria and feelings of
increased energy, alertness, self-esteem and sensory awareness.
While artificially depleting the body’s energy supply, cocaine reduces
the perceived need for food and sleep and can cause imported behaviour and mood
changes. Smoking freebase produces a two to five minutes intense high.
It takes a larger amount to get to the brain quickly.
Smoking also increases the risks of using the drug.
Risks include confusion, anxiety, slurred speech and psychological
problems. Smoking crack produces an intense and rapid euphoria commonly known as a
'flash high'. cocaine molecules
reach the brain in a few seconds. The
resulting five minute high is followed by an unpleasant crash.
The user feels irritable and agitated and has an intense craving for more
cocaine caused by the high concentration of the drug in the bloodstream.
This initial high is never reached again and subsequent lows get lower.
This cycle reinforces the craving. Injecting cocaine produces an effect within thirty seconds that peaks in
five minutes and last for about half an hour.
Users injecting run the risk of contracting Hepatitis, HIV/Aids and other
infections when sharing contaminated needles. Long-term effects of
cocaine. Cocaine and Crack constrict the heart's blood vessels making it work
harder and faster. In some users
this may trigger chest pain or even a heart attack.
Cocaine can interfere with the signals controlling the heart's pumping
action causing it to beat so irregularly it may stop. Cocaine in all of its forms has been associated with sudden
heart attacks in people under thirty, many of whom have used the drugs for the
first time. Cocaine and Crack can cause brain seizure, a disturbance in the brain's
electrical signals some of which regulate the heart and muscles controlling
beating. Over time the brain
appears to become more and more sensitive to cocaine.
As a result, the threshold at which the seizure occurs is lowered.
Repeated use of the drug without experiencing problems does not guarantee
that seizures will not occur. Some
users have suffered strokes after using cocaine.
Other effects of cocaine
and Crack use include: ·
Suicidal tendencies ·
Dramatic mood swings ·
Chronic nose bleeds, runny nose or very sore throat ·
Birth defects ·
Weight loss from loss of appetite ·
Chronic headaches ·
Respiratory ailments ·
Vitamin deficiency Addiction, tolerance and
withdrawal The obsessive drug seeking behaviour of cocaine and crack users is due to
the drugs overwhelming influence on the reward centres in the brain which is
associated with an individual's drive for food, water and sex. Cocaine use triggers the release of dopamine, a chemical that transmits
feelings of pleasure and well-being in the brain. The brain requires more and more dopamine to be released to
satisfy its needs, which in turn requires greater amounts of cocaine to be used.
An individual becomes more tolerant of the effects and has to use greater
amounts to achieve the same high. Repeated
compulsive use of cocaine may lead to highs that produce no pleasurable
feelings. Violent paranoid behaviour, called cocaine psychosis, can accompany any
of these drugs but may appear more rapidly in crack. Effective users become anxious, believe they have super human
powers or become suspicious and very paranoid to the point that they believe
they are in danger and react in bizarre or violent ways.
Hallucinations are not uncommon. Users
may feel or see things that do not exist, or experience 'coke bugs' - sensation
of imaginary insects crawling over the skin. A cocaine high is often followed by a crash lasting thirty to sixty
minutes or longer while leaving the user feeling tired, anxious and irritable.
Cocaine use provides immediate relief from these symptoms, creating a
cycle of use. Generally the higher a person gets on cocaine the worse the effects of
the crash. Whether or not an
individual experiences a crash depends on that individual and the amount of
cocaine used. Withdrawal following extensive and prolonged use of cocaine can cause
irritability, nausea, agitation, sleep disorders, severe depression, muscle
ache, and intense craving for the drug. Signs and Symptoms of cocaine use ·
Dilated pupils ·
Dry nose and mouth ·
Bad breath ·
Frequent licking of the lips ·
Excessive activity and difficulty in sitting still ·
Talkative but conversation lacks continuity ·
Runny nose, colds or chronic sinus and nasal problems ·
Sudden drop in work performance ·
Frequently in trouble and accident prone ·
Use or possession of paraphernalia including small spoons, razor blades,
mirrors, glass bottles of white powder, plastic glass or metal straws, glass
pipes and miniature blow torches A long lasting craving for cocaine makes addiction hard to treat without
assistance. The first step is into
detoxification to rid the body of the drug.
Detoxification is sometimes followed medication, with anti-depressants,
to help control the craving and treat severe depression.
A treatment programme can help the recovering user to find alternatives
to curb the craving for the drug. Often
this help is offered through the combination of individual, group and family
counselling in addition to other techniques aimed at changing behaviour.
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