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What Is Cocaine?

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What Is Cocaine? WHAT IS COCAINE? AN EDUCATIONAL FACT SHEET FROM THE FLORIDA ALCOHOL & DRUG ABUSE ASSOCIATION Cocaine is a powerful central nervous sys- OTHER WAYS OF USING COCAINE tem stimulant that comes from the South Ameri- The most dangerous form of smokable cocaine can coca bush. The cocaine (cocaine hydrochlo- is coca paste made by using gasoline or sulfuric acid ride) most commonly used in the U.S. is a white to extract a smokable paste. The paste is dried and crystalline powder extracted from coca leaves. smoked in a pipe or crushed into a cigarette. The cocaine bought on the street is a mixture of pure cocaine and other substances such as talc, Cocaine may be used with other drugs to pro- flour, laxatives, sugar, local anesthetics and other duce a variety of effects. “Speedballing” is the com- stimulants or powders that are added to stretch bination of cocaine and heroin in a syringe for in- the supply and increase the seller’s profit. jection. “Spaceballing” is the sprinkling of liquid Users buy powdered cocaine in grams (1/ PCP (Phencyclidine) on crack cocaine before smok- 28 of an ounce) or in fractions of a gram called ing. “Champagne” is the combination of cocaine and “quarters” or “eighths.” Often, cocaine is snorted marijuana. through the nose. Razor blades are used to crush any large rocks or particles of cocaine and to form “lines” that make snorting easier. Some SHORT-TERM EFFECTS users inject cocaine into a muscle or vein; others When cocaine is snorted, the effects begin convert it into a smokable form called freebase. within a few minutes, peak in 15 to 20 minutes and Freebase is street cocaine that is converted disappear after a few hours. Low doses produce a to a pure base by removing the hydrochloride short period of euphoria and feelings of increased salt and many of the “cutting” agents. The end energy, alertness, self-esteem and sensory aware- product, freebase, is not water soluble — the ness. While artificially depleting the body’s energy only way to get it into the system is to smoke it. supply, cocaine reduces the perceived need for food and sleep and can cause impulsive behavior and mood changes. WHAT IS CRACK? Smoking freebase produces a two- to five- minute intense high. Because larger amounts get to Crack is a light brown or beige pellet of the brain quickly, smoking also increases the risks ready-to-smoke freebase cocaine. It is formed of using the drug. Risks include confusion, anxiety, when powdered cocaine is melted in a glass tube slurred speech and psychological problems. with water. When the liquid cools, it is mixed with baking soda and cold water and cut into Smoking crack produces an intense and rapid small pieces, which then harden. Since it enters euphoria commonly known as a flash high. Cocaine the system directly through the lungs, smokable molecules reach the brain in less than 10 seconds. cocaine reaches the brain faster than when co- The resulting three- to five-minute high is followed caine is snorted, and causes a more intense re- by an unpleasant crash. The user feels irritable and action. agitated, and has an intense craving for more co- caine caused by the high concentration of the drug According to the 1997 National Household in the bloodstream. The initial high is never reached Survey on Drug Abuse, an estimated 1.5 million again, and subsequent lows get lower. This cycle Americans were current users of cocaine. This reinforces the craving. represents 0.7 percent of the population age 12 and older. The number did not change signifi- Injecting cocaine produces an effect within 30 cantly from 1996 (1.75 million). The present level seconds that peaks in five minutes and lasts about a of cocaine users is down from a peak of 5.7 mil- half hour. Users who inject run the risk of contract- lion (3.0 percent of the population) in 1985. ing hepatitis, AIDS, and other infections due to the Household Survey data do not present the com- sharing or use of contaminated needles. plete picture, as many subpopulations of hard core addicts continue in their frequency of abuse, LONG-TERM EFFECTS although the number of occasional cocaine abus- JUST THE FACTS Cocaine and crack constrict the heart’s blood JUST THE FACTS ers has declined dramatically. vessels, making it work harder and faster. In some users, this may trigger chest pain or a heart attack. Cocaine creating the cycle of use. Generally, the higher a person gets can interfere with the signals controlling the heart’s pump- on cocaine, the worse the effects of the crash. Whether or not ing action, causing it to beat so irregularly it may stop. Co- an individual experiences a crash depends on the individual caine, in all forms, has been associated with sudden heart at- and the amount of cocaine used. Withdrawal following pro- tacks in people under 30, some of whom were using the drug longed use of cocaine can cause irritability, nausea, agitation, for the first time. sleep disorders, severe depression, muscle aches and an in- Cocaine and crack can cause brain seizure, a disturbance tense craving for the drug. in the brain’s electrical signals, some of which regulate the heart and muscles controlling breathing. Studies show that over time, the brain appears to become more and more sensi- SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF COCAINE USE tive to cocaine. As a result, the threshold at which seizures ❑ Dilated pupils occur is lowered. Repeated use of the drug without experi- ❑ encing problems does not guarantee that seizures will not Dry mouth and nose, bad breath, frequent lip licking occur. The next dose — used in the same amount and the same ❑ Excessive activity — difficulty in sitting still way — can produce a seizure that may cause the heart to quit ❑ Talkative but conversation lacks continuity beating or the muscles that control breathing to stop work- ing. Some users have suffered strokes after using cocaine. ❑ Runny nose, cold or chronic sinus/nasal problems ❑ Sudden drop in grades or work performance ❑ Other effects of cocaine and crack use include: Frequently in trouble or accident prone ❑ ❑ Suicidal tendencies Use or possession of paraphernalia ❑ Dramatic mood swings ❑ Chronic nose bleeds, runny nose or sore throat TREATMENT AND RECOVERY ❑ Loss of friends and former values The long-lasting craving for cocaine makes addiction ❑ Miscarriage/birth defects hard to treat without assistance. The first step in treatment is ❑ Weight loss, resulting from a loss of appetite detoxification, to rid the body of the drug. Detoxification is ❑ sometimes followed by medication, such as antidepressants, Chronic headaches to control the craving and treat the depression that occurs ❑ Respiratory ailments after cocaine or crack is withdrawn. A treatment program can ❑ Addiction help the recovering user find other alternatives to curb the ❑ craving. Often this help is offered through a combination of Death individual, group and family counseling in addition to other ADDICTION, TOLERANCE AND techniques aimed at changing behavior. The key to successful treatment is restructuring the WITHDRAWAL addict’s daily life. The cocaine-addicted client has several in- The obsessive drug-seeking behavior of cocaine and ternal and external “triggers” that, if not avoided, can rekindle crack users is due to the drug’s overwhelming influence on the hunger for cocaine. Internal triggers include boredom, the “reward center” in the brain, which is associated with an stress and the need for rewards. External triggers include individual’s drive for food, water and sex. having extra money, familiar music, paraphernalia, and past Cocaine use triggers the release of dopamine, a chemi- relationships — anything that reminds one of life with co- cal that transmits feelings of pleasure and well-being, in the caine. brain. The brain requires more and more dopamine to be re- The goal of recovery programs is to improve self-im- leased to satisfy its needs, which in turn requires greater age and promote healthy living without drugs. Many recov- amounts of cocaine to be used. An individual becomes more ering individuals find strength and support from attending tolerant of the effects and has to use greater amounts to Cocaine Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous meetings. To achieve the same high. Repeated compulsive use of cocaine achieve recovery, the cocaine abuser must begin anew and may lead to highs that produce no pleasurable feelings. develop a lifestyle of healthy attitudes and activities. Violent, erratic or paranoid behavior, called “cocaine psychosis” can accompany use of these drugs, but may ap- pear more rapidly in crack smokers. Affected users become anxious, believe they have superhuman powers, or become suspicious and paranoid, to the point that they believe the are in danger and react in bizarre or violent ways. Hallucina- tions are also common. Users may hear or see things that do not exist, or experience “coke bugs” — a sensation of imagi- nary insects crawling over the skin. A cocaine high is often followed by a crash lasting 30 to Funds for this document are provided by the Substance 60 minutes or longer and leaving the user feeling tired and Abuse Program Office, Florida Department of Children irritable. Cocaine use provides relief from these symptoms, & Families, contract #MH650 FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL THE FLORIDA ALCOHOL & DRUG ABUSE ASSOCIATION RESOURCE CENTER 1030 EAST LAFAYETTE STREET, SUITE 100, TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA 32301 TEL: (850) 878-2196 PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER 10/98/2500.
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