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ABOUT COCAINE
Cocaine: A highly addictive stimulant drug derived from the coca plant that produces profound feelings of pleasure. (Source: NIDA)
The lore of cocaine is long and storied. In the late nineteenth century it was used for medicinal purposes - as a stimulant of the central nervous system, people took products laced with cocaine to aid headaches, boost energy, and suppress the appetite. Doctors and dentists used cocaine as a form of anesthetic, while a growing soft drink company took its name from the very ingredient included in its original recipe.
In the early 1900s, it became apparent that cocaine was habit-forming, to the point of dangerous addiction. Coca-Cola ceased using the stimulant in 1906, and in 1914 a law passed in the United States making it illegal to use cocaine for any purpose.
2006 World Drug Report, the However, cocaine use in the United States remains prevalent to this day. Cocaine is the number two recreational drug in the country, yielding as much as $35 billion annually to dealers. According to the 2006 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime World Drug Report, the United States leads the world in cocaine use among people aged 15 to 64. It is glamourized in film and song and touted as a "celebrity" drug, associated with a decadent lifestyle.
Yet, one doesn't have to be rich to afford a five-dollar "hit" of crack cocaine, or be a movie star to become addicted. Regardless of your station in life, constant cocaine use can lead to serious health and personal problems.
As a stimulant, cocaine is known to heighten euphoria and awareness and increase the heart rate. Users will experience an increase of dopamine and serotonin in the brain, which enhances the "high" feeling people get after snorting or ingesting the drug. Cocaine may also be injected into the bloodstream or smoked as freebase or rock (crack) form.
As such, regular use may also promote restlessness and high blood pressure, paranoia, and ensuing depression and addiction during short periods of withdrawal. Excessive use may prove damaging to the heart, causing cardiac arrest or stroke. Users who snort the drug to excess may eventually experience nosebleeds and damage to the cartilege in the nose.
HOW TO TELL IF SOMEBODY YOU LOVE IS USING COCAINE
If you suspect a loved one is abusing cocaine, look for these signs:
- Prolonged dilation of the pupils
- Rapid, unexplained weight loss
- Twitching, jittery behavior and/or sleeplessness
- Sudden paranoid and/or personality
- Possible sexual performance problems
- Constant sniffling and watery eyes
- Unexplained financial troubles
Williamsburg Place and the William J. Farley Center specialize in treatment of cocaine addiction. If you or somebody you love has a dependency on cocaine or other controlled substances, now is the time to get help and put your life back on track. Please contact us today and start on the path toward rehabilitation and healing.
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