Cocaine :: essays research papers

cocaine is a drug extracted from the leaves of the cocaplant. It is a potent wit stimulant and one of the mostpowerfully habit-forming drugs. Cocaine is distributed on the street in two main formscocaine hydrochloride is a white crystalline powder thatcan be snorted or fade away in water and injected and"crack" is cocaine hydrochloride that has beenprocessed with ammonia or sodium bicarbonate (bakingsoda) and water into a freebase cocaine. These chips,chunks, or rocks can be smoked. Cocaine may be used occasionally, daily, or in a varietyof compulsive, repeated-use "binges". Regardless ofhow it is used, cocaine is highly addictive. Crack cocaineand injected cocaine reach the brain quickly and bring anintense and quick high. Snorted cocaine produces ahigh much slowly. Cocaine can produce a surge in energy, a feeling ofintense pleasure, and increased confidence. The effectsof powder cocaine last about 20 minutes, while theeffects of "crack" last about 12 mi nutes. Heavy use ofcocaine may produce hallucinations, paranoia,aggression, insomnia, and depression. Cocaines effects are short lived, and once the drugleaves the brain, the user experiences a "coke crash" thatincludes depression, irritability, and fatigue. many a(prenominal) people ask is cocaine addictive? Yes. Cocaine can cultivate over your life and cause you tolose interest in everything else. Studies in monkeys produceshown that animals will work very hard (press a bar over10,000 times) for a single injection of cocaine, choosecocaine over food and water, and take cocaine stillwhen this behavior is punished. Animals must have theiraccess to cocaine limited in order not to take toxic oreven lethal doses. People addicted to cocaine behavesimilarly. They will go to great lengths to get cocaine andcontinue to take it even when it hurts their school or jobperformance and their relationships with loved ones. Do users develop a tolerance to crack or cocaine? Yes. Users m ay find they need more and more of thedrug to get high. What are the effects of cocaine use? Cocaine stimulates the central nervous system. It acts onthe "pleasure centers" of the brain, producingheightened pleasure and increased confidence. Otherimmediate effects include dilated pupils and elevatedblood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and bodytemperature. The pleasurable effects of powder cocainelast about 20 minutes. passing(a) use can cause a stuffyor runny nose, and chronic use can ulcerate the mucousmembrane of the nose. Injecting cocaine with colly equipment can cause AIDS, hepatitis, andother diseases. Preparation of freebase cocaine, whichinvolves the use of volatile solvents, can result in deathor injury from fire or explosion.