Cocaine Abuse Information

Q.) Why would anyone become addicted to cocaine?

A.) The effects of cocaine are immediate, extremely pleasurable, and brief. Cocaine produce intense but short-lived euphoria and can make users feel more energetic. Like caffeine, cocaine produces wakefulness and reduces hunger. Psychological effects include feelings of well-being and a grandiose sense of power and ability mixed with anxiety and restlessness. As the drug wears off, these temporary sensations of mastery are replaced by an intense depression, and the drug abuser will then "crash", becoming lethargic and typically sleeping for several days.

Q.) What are the physical effects of cocaine use?

A.) The physical effects of cocaine use are:

Changes in blood pressure, heart rates, and breathing rates
Nausea
Vomiting
Anxiety
Convulsions
Insomnia
Loss of appetite leading to malnutrition and weight loss
Cold sweats
Swelling and bleeding of mucous membranes
Restlessness and anxiety
Damage to nasal cavities
Damage to lungs
Possible heart attacks, strokes, or convulsions

HEALTH EFFECTS

Even though the public is often regaled with highly publicized accounts of deaths from cocaine, many still mistakenly believe the drug, especially when sniffed, to be nonaddictive and not as harmful as other illicit drugs. Cocaine's immediate physical effects include raised breathing rate, raised blood pressure and body temperature, and dilated pupils.

By causing the coronary arteries to constrict, blood pressure rises and the blood supply to the heart diminishes. This can cause heart attacks or convulsions within an hour after use. Chronic users and those with hypertension, epilepsy, and cardiovascular disease are at particular risk. Studies show that even those with no previous heart problems risk cardiac complications from cocaine. Increased use may sensitize the brain to the drug's effects so that less of the substance is needed to induce a seizure. Those who inject the drug are at high risk for AIDS and hepatitis when they share needles. Allergic reactions to cocaine or other substances mixed in with the drug may also occur.