1. Cocaine and Its Affects on Humans
By Laura Taylor Reynolds
4/27/2017

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
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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
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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
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5. Methods of Administering Cocaine
Snorting
Injecting
Freebasing
Crack cocaine
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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
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7. Short-Term vs. Long-Term Effects
Addiction and Irritability
Mood disturbances and depression
Paranoia and auditory hallucinations
Increased energy and mental alertness, and euphoria
Increased temperature and dilated pupils
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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)
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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
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10. The Brain on Cocaine
Brain on Cocaine
Normal brain
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11. What is Dopamine?
Dopamine is an important chemical, a neurotransmitter in the brain.
This chemical is what makes humans feel pleasure
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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
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13. Dopamine in the Brain
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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19. References www.health.discovery.com www.atlantarecovery.com
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