Cocaine

Cocaine was originally found in Peru and is a naturally occurring crystalline alkaloid which is extracted from the leaves of the coca shrub. Cocaine is a stimulant of the central nervous system, and use of this drug gives rise to a sense of euphoria and increased energy. Cocaine is a fine white powdery substance that has various street names that may include blow, coke and snow flake. The major ways of taking cocaine include freebasing, sniffing or snorting, injecting, vaginal or rectal application through mucous membranes, or by smoking the highly addictive drug. Addiction to cocaine has been commonly reported to occur shortly after using the drug initially for the very first time. Individuals who have used cocaine have described the experience as a powerful high that gave them a feeling of supremacy and have reported reaching for that feeling over and over again by using cocaine.

There are many negative effects that can occur in relation to chronic cocaine use. Use of this potent drug has been reported to cause extensive damage to the mucous membrane of the nose and bleeding cartilage is also highly common in individuals that snort cocaine. The regular use of cocaine can also cause blood vessels to constrict; this can lead to an increase in blood pressure and heart rate, which could potentially be fatal. The occurrence of heart attacks is quite common in individuals that abuse cocaine. Cocaine use has also been reported to lead to other dangerous physical symptoms such as irregular heartbeat, lung disease and irreversible brain damage. With cocaine use there is also a possibility that an individual's body temperature and blood sugar can rise significantly; respiratory failure, strokes and seizures have also been reported with heavy cocaine use.

Sometimes in the case of first time cocaine users, individuals have been reported to die from the use and effects of the drug. Chronic cocaine use has also been known to contribute to dramatic changes in emotional behavior, as some users are known to display perplexing episodes of bizarre actions, or to become extremely violent. Cocaine users who inject cocaine are putting themselves at risk for contracting HIV/AIDS and hepatitis. Pregnant women who us cocaine are more susceptible to miscarriage, or if they do carry to full term, serious birth defects to the fetus have been reported to occur. The long term use of prolonged cocaine snorting can result in the ulceration of the mucous membrane of the nose and can cause such extensive damage to the nasal septum that it may collapse completely. Toxic reactions, including death, have been reported to occur in people who have swallowed cocaine in order to avoid police detection.

There is a wide array of symptoms that an individual may experience with cocaine use, including: euphoria, hallucinations, rapid heartbeat, nosebleeds, insomnia, nervousness, paranoia, seizures, hyperactivity, delirium, respiratory failure and in some cases, death. The social cocaine abuse symptoms can include secrecy about this drug habit or over-spending in order to obtain the drug. When an individual is coming down off of cocaine, signs can include a lack of energy, sweating, shaking, sore muscles and depression.