Pamela Ogboe-Orlandini

Main Points1. History3-4

2. Uses5

3. Reasons for Use and abuse6-7

4. The Past Uses of cocaine8

5. The role of the Media9

6. The Racial disparity of cocaine users10

7. Associated Health Risk factors11-12

8. What are the treatments available 13

9. Discussion

10. citation

What is the history of cocaine?Cocaine is derived from the leaves of the coca bush, which grows in South America. Cocaine has been used for centuries by Indians to combat the effects of hunger, hard work, and thin air.

In the mid 1800s its effects were praised by Freud, among others. The first recognized authority and advocate for this drug was world famous psychologist, Sigmund Freud. Early in his career, Freud broadly promoted cocaine as a safe and useful tonic that could cure depression and sexual impotence.

In 1886 John Pemberton included cocaine as the main ingredient in his new soft drink, Coca Cola. It was cocaine’s euphoric and energizing effects on the consumer that was mostly responsible for skyrocketing Coca Cola into its place as the most popular soft drink in history. Until 1906, this substance was a chief ingredient of Coca-Cola and was also used as a anesthetic.

“They got drunk and high on a regular basis, but this is a vestige of youth that you either quit while you're young or you become an addict if you don't die.” ― Bucky Sinister

History (con’t)

Widespread use and addiction led to government efforts against cocaine in the early 1900s. The danger associated with cocaine was ignored in the 1970s and early 1980s, and cocaine was proclaimed by many to be safe. With the accumulating medical evidence of cocaine's deleterious effects and the introduction and widespread use of cocaine, the public and government have become alarmed again about its growing use.

In 1997, an estimated 1.5 million Americans (0.7 percent of those age 12 and older) were current cocaine users, according to the 1997 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA).

Cocaine addiction was responsible for 14 % of the 1.6 million admissions in 1999 to publicly funded drug addiction facilities.

Cocaine hydrochloride remains a schedule II controlled substance, as it has some legal therapeutic application as a pain reliever and vasoconstrictor, useful in association with some medical procedures.

How is cocaine used? There are four primary methods of ingesting cocaine.

These are:

1. "Snorting" - absorbing cocaine through the mucous membranes of the nose.

2. Injecting - users mix cocaine powder with water and use a syringe to inject the solution intravenously.

3. Freebasing - Cocaine hydrochloride is converted to a "freebase" which can then be smoked.

4. Crack Cocaine - Cocaine hydrochloride is mixed with ammonia or sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and other ingredients, causing it to solidify into pellets or "rocks". The crack is then smoked in glass pipes.

Risk FactorsPsychological, familial, social, contextual

Psychological: People with characteristics like anger impulsivity, inattentiveness are more likely to develop drug and alcohol problems.

Familial: distant/conflicted family relationships puts one at risk

Contextual: more likely to live in a neighborhood where drugs are easily accessible

According to the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, most people who use cocaine do so as a way to combat an underlying mental illness. It is uncertain whether the psychological issues that follow cocaine use are because of the addiction or if they were underlying before initial use. Either way most studies show that there is at least a correlation between cocaine use and psychological issues.

Not all drugs are created equal. Some nudge open the door to addiction, and others break that door down.

Risk(con’t)

Many of the reasons people start using cocaine begin because of psychological issues.

Crack use is correlated with trauma such as childhood abuse. One study found that, even controlling for demographic factors, childhood abuse was a contributing factor in nearly 60% of crack cocaine use. These statistics suggest that crack users turn to drugs to cope with trauma in their pasts, not because they are fundamentally irresponsible.

According to National Advocates for Pregnant Women, a majority of expectant mothers addicted to crack are victims of domestic violence in their relationships.

Past UsesFrom the 1850’s to the early 1900’s, cocaine- and opium-laced elixirs, tonics and wines were broadly used by people of all social classes.

Metcalf's Coca Wine was one of a large number of cocaine-containing wines available on the market. All claimed medicinal effects, although they were undoubtedly consumed for their "recreational" value as well.

Cocaine toothache drops (c. 1885) were popular for children. Not only would the medicine numb the pain, but it could also put the user in a "better" mood.

The media and Cocaine

“I'm in love with the coco”-O.T genesis

Media stereotypes paint crack users as inner-city crackheads and irresponsible “crack mothers” who spend all day chasing their next high.

The glamorization of celebrity culture has help pushed cocaine into the spotlight

It’s not only that cocaine is used in popular, trendy settings, but that it’s also used in the right settings. In the worlds of fashion, entertainment, media and public relations, cocaine is a way of life.

The 2013 movie The Wolf of Wall Street gives cocaine an unlikely popularity, the kind of attention even in an era when celebrity deaths from cocaine overdoses become breaking news in a 24/7 news cycle doesn’t phase users.

Ethnic DifferencesStatistics from the 2012 National Survey on Drug Use

and Health reveal that 55% of past-month crack users are white. Black Americans, who make up 12.2% of the population, account for 37% of crack users, meaning that they are 3.5 times more likely than whites to be regular crack users. But black people are 21.2 times more likely than white people to go to federal prison on a crack charge.

Today, young white people are nine times more likely to try crack cocaine than young black people, and the disparity is increasing.

Health EffectsShort-term

Narrowed blood vessels; enlarged pupils; increased body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure; headache; abdominal pain and nausea; euphoria; increased energy, alertness; insomnia, restlessness; anxiety; erratic and violent behavior, panic attacks, paranoia, psychosis; heart rhythm problems, heart attack; stroke, seizure, coma.

Long-term

Loss of sense of smell, nosebleeds, nasal damage and trouble swallowing from snorting; infection and death of bowel tissue from decreased blood flow; poor nutrition and weight loss from decreased appetite.

Psychologically, the effects of chronic cocaine use are the opposite of the initial effects. These effects can include paranoia, confusion, and an inability to perform sexually. The chronic use of cocaine may also lead to acute adverse physiological effects to the respiratory, cardiovascular, and central nervous systems. Chronic cocaine use can also lead to hospital emergency room visits, prompted by chest pain or palpitations, psychiatric complaints ranging from altered mental states to suicidal ideation, and neurological problems including seizures and delirium.

Different routes of cocaine administration can produce different adverse effects. Regularly snorting cocaine, for example, can lead to loss of sense of smell, nosebleeds, problems with swallowing, hoarseness, and an overall irritation of the nasal septum, which can lead to a chronically inflamed, runny nose. Ingested cocaine can cause severe bowel gangrene, due to reduced blood flow. Persons who inject cocaine have puncture marks and "tracks," most commonly in their forearms. Intravenous cocaine users may also experience allergic reactions, either to the drug or to some additive in street cocaine, which in severe cases can result in death.

“Get high on love, not drugs.” ― Matshona Dhliwayo

Check out these resources for anyone who may be struggling with illicit drug use issues

Call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA)

substance abuse treatment helpline at 1-800-662-HELP. Confidential, free service, along with

referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations, are

available for individuals and family members facing substance abuse and mental health issues.

Getsmartaboutdrugs.org is a online resource from the Drug Enforcement Administration for parents.

“Better keep yourself clean and bright; you are the window through which you must see the world.” -George Bernard Shaw

Discussion time.1. Do you think that users of hard drugs such as heroin or cocaine have first used alcohol and tobacco?

2. Will one time experiment use of cocaine make you addicted?

The capacity to align our actions with our beliefs and values is what separates mature human beings, from immature ones.

References Drug and Addiction Treatment Centers | Promises -. (n.d.). Retrieved March 02, 2017, from https://www.promises.com/

Lynn M. Paltrow | Punishment and Prejudice: Judging Drug-Using Pregnant Women. Retrieved from http://advocatesforpregnantwomen.org/articles/ruddick.htm

Risk and Protective Factors. (n.d.). Retrieved March 02, 2017, from. https://www.samhsa.gov/atod/stimulants

NIDA (). Cocaine. Retrieved March 02, 2017, from https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/cocaine

Ethnic Differences. Summary of National Findings .(2012). Retrieved March 02, 2017, from https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/NSDUHresults2012/NSDUHresults2012.pdf

HAASEN, C., PRINZLEVE, M., GOSSOP, M., FISCHER, G., CASAS, M., & AND THE COCAINEEU-TEAM. (2005). Relationship between cocaine use and mental health problems in a sample of European cocaine powder or crack users. World Psychiatry, 4(3), 173–176.