COCAINE

Cocaine is an addictive drug made from the leaves of the coca plant.

There are two forms of cocaine

• Powder: A white powder. Is often mixed with other substances
• Crack: A rock crystal form of cocaine. Called "Crack" because of the sound it makes when it is heated.

People take the powder form of Cocaine by snorting it, injecting it with a needle, or rubbing it on the gums. Crack is smoked in a small glass pipe.

Mental Effects

• Cocaine changes the way your brain works and makes you think you like it.
• It will give you a "high" which gives you increased energy and pleasure.
• After a while, you will "crash". This means you will be sad for days. It will also give you a craving for more cocaine.

Physical Effects

• Being unable to sleep
• Decreased appetite and major loss of weight
• Feeling sick to your stomach
• Panic attacks
• Hoarse voice
• Loss of sense of smell
• Increased risk of HIV, stroke, and heart attack

Cocaine can be very addictive. The "high" doesn't last very long, which means people will take more and more of it. Once they get used to it, it will take more cocaine to get them the same "high" they used to get, which means they will take more and more. Too much cocaine can lead to death.

There is no medical treatment for Cocaine so far. Cognitive-behavioral therapy has been shown to be most effective for decreasing Cocaine use.

Interesting Facts

• Until 1903, Coca-Cola contained a significant amount of Cocaine. Although the company denies it in any of their products, past or present.
• Cocaine is the second most used illicit drug in the U.S. (After Marijuana)
• Cocaine is most commonly used in the U.S. by adults ages 18-25.

SOURCES

• teens.drugabuse.gov
• Cocaine: An Unauthorized Biography