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Cocaine and Its Affects on Humans

Cocaine and Its Affects on Humans. By Laura Taylor Reynolds. Cocaine Is Currently One Of Society’s Most Serious Problems . Cocaine is the strongest natural stimulant in existence today Cocaine is highly addictive and ultimately destructive physiologically as well as psychologically

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Cocaine and Its Affects on Humans

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  1. Cocaine and Its Affects on Humans By Laura Taylor Reynolds

  2. Cocaine Is Currently One Of Society’s Most Serious Problems • Cocaine is the strongest natural stimulant in existence today • Cocaine is highly addictive and ultimately destructive physiologically as well as psychologically • Cocaine is a life and death matter

  3. The History of Cocaine • Cocaine has been used as a stimulant for thousands of years • Albert Neiman discovered cocaine’s “anesthetic action” in 1860 • Angelo Mariani produced a “medicinal” wine in the 1880’s, called Vin Mariani (containing 11% alcohol and 6.5mg of cocaine in every ounce) • Sigmund Freud recommended cocaine for a variety of illnesses and for alcohol and morphine addictions in 1884 • John Pemberton developed Coca Cola, containing cocaine and caffeine in 1886 • Cocaine was removed from Coca Cola in 1906 • The Harrison Narcotic Act made cocaine illegal in 1914

  4. The Coca Plant • Cocaine grows from the coca plant naturally in Chile, Peru, and Bolivia • It is obtained from the leaves of “Erythroxylon” Coca

  5. Methods of Administering Cocaine • Snorting • Injecting • Freebasing • Crack cocaine

  6. Physiological Effects • Coronary arteries constrict, blood pressure rises, and the blood supply to the heart diminishes • Nausea, vomiting and anxiety • Insomnia and restlessness • Loss of appetite leading to weight loss and malnutrition • Convulsions and cold sweats • Swelling and bleeding of mucous membranes • Damage to nasal cavities and lungs • Possible strokes and heart attacks

  7. Addiction and Irritability Mood disturbances and depression Paranoia and auditory hallucinations Increased energy and mental alertness, and euphoria Increased temperature and dilated pupils Short-Term vs. Long-Term Effects

  8. PET Scan of Brain The red color shows high use of glucose, yellow shows medium, and blue shows the least glucose. This PET scan shows the brain function through the presence of glucose (the energy source of neurons)

  9. Cocaine on the Nervous System • Normal dose of 25 to 150mg is taken when inhaled • Cocaine produces a brief, intense euphoria, followed by severe depression • Cocaine travels to the brain, in response releasing, rather displacing dopamine

  10. The Brain on Cocaine Brain on Cocaine Normal brain

  11. What is Dopamine? • Dopamine is an important chemical, a neurotransmitter in the brain. • This chemical is what makes humans feel pleasure

  12. Dopamine on the Nervous System • Cocaine prevents the brain from reabsorbing the dopamine, causing extreme euphoria • Thus the brain is depleted of dopamine • This depletion, causes severe depression after the cocaine had dissipated

  13. Dopamine in the Brain

  14. The Specific Neural Systems that are Affected • The neural system that is most affected by cocaine is the Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) • Nerve cells extend from the VTA to the nucleus accumbens • The nucleus accumbens is one of the brain’s key pleasure centers of function • Pleasurable Stimuli, such as sex and many drugs of abuse, such as cocaine cause increased activity in the nucleus accumbens

  15. Cocaine Statistics • Cocaine addiction is by far the most serious drug problem in the United States today • One tenth of the population (over 22 million people) have tried cocaine • Every day 5,000 more people will experiment with cocaine • Cocaine is a $35 billion illicit industry • Cocaine now exceeds Columbia’s #1 legal export, coffee • There are about 3.6 million chronic cocaine abusers currently

  16. An Added Danger • The human liver combines cocaine and alcohol when mixed, manufacturing a third substance • This third substance is called “cocaethylene” • The dangerous mixture of these two substances is the most common two-drug combination • Cocaethylene is the cause of many deaths

  17. The Sadness of Abuse • Cocaine abusers attempt to hide their addiction • Physical signs are too noticeable however • The signs are: runny noses, severe mood swings, and frequent upper respiratory infections • Cocaine may cause a person to stay awake for many hours and even days • Hundreds and thousands of dollars are spent by cocaine abusers each week • Crimes, prostitution, and drug-selling are practiced in order to support the habit in many cases • Cocaine becomes the most important thing in a person’s life, overriding family, one’s career, and friends

  18. The Light At The End of The Tunnel • Behavioral treatments are effective, including both outpatient and residential approaches • Cognitive-behavioral therapy is another approach • Through education about abuse and addiction, self-help, and self-awareness, individuals benefit greatly • Therapeutic communities that offer planned lengths of stay lasting 6 to 12+ months are an alternative treatment

  19. References • www.health.discovery.com • www.atlantarecovery.com • www.drug-rehab-addiction-treatment.com • www.faculty.washington.edu • www.focusas.com • www.usnodrugs.com

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