Cocaine Addiction

Cocaine addiction is one of society’s greatest problems today. Individuals addicted to cocaine will do almost anything to get the drug. It has penetrated all levels of our society infecting the rich, poor and everyone in between. Family members connected to individuals with a cocaine addiction live in chaos and confusion because they do not understand the underlying mechanics of cocaine addiction. Users will often not seek cocaine rehab treatment until it has become a real problem....

Hollywood and Cocaine

Addiction and drug overdoses have long plagued the high style and highly public lives of Hollywood. It’s hard to say if the fast paced, high style life lead to the abuse of drugs or if it’s the idea that as an actor or singer that one could be indispensable while using. Either way, it is not something new. Perhaps one may think that because those in Hollywood tend to have a wealth of money they are able to buy drugs more easily than others. Of course, no matter who you are, the...

Cocaine History

The history of cocaine was originally chronicled as being helpful in the area of medical and local anesthesia. It’s common knowledge that coca leaves were used as a cure-all anesthetic throughout history of the Incan Empire of Peru. The coca plant was originally found in South America, where natives would chew on the leaves as a mild stimulus similar to the effects of coffee. Characteristics of the plant involved providing many essential nutrients, proteins and vitamins, therefore making it...

Cocaine Detox

Medical detoxification is a process in which individuals are safely and methodically withdrawn from addicting drugs. The term detoxification (rehabilitation) implies a clearing of toxins. The detoxification process is designed both to treat the acute physiological effects of stopping drug use and to remove residual toxins in the body left as a result of using the chemicals found in drugs and/or alcohol. For some individuals, when a drug dependency has occurred, they display predictable...

Cocaine Withdrawal

Cocaine withdrawal generally occurs when there is abrupt discontinuation of the drug or a rapid decrease in the usage of it. When discontinued, the user will experience a “crash” along with other cocaine withdrawal symptoms: paranoia, depression, an intense craving for more cocaine, exhaustion, anxiety, mood swings, irritability, fatigue, and/or insomnia. REM sleep may also be affected for weeks after last use. Patients may have major concurrent psychiatric disorders and there may be severe...

Cocaine Intervention

Often when someone is under the addictive powers of cocaine they are unable to make the proper decisions to quit this behavior and don’t understand the harmful effects of cocaine. Intervention is the act of interfering in the affairs of another person. Intervention often comes from the loved ones of the cocaine addict; those that know you best and care about your well being. Drug intervention is the process of stopping a chemically dependent person from continuing to use their drug of...

Cocaine Trafficking and Distribution

With the discovery of the Coca leaf’s effect on the body to the use of medical cocaine and then research that lead to it’s ban – cocaine trafficking and abuse continues to haunt and threaten the health and safety of American citizens. With the 1914 Harrison Narcotic Act initializing the illegal usage of cocaine, criminal activity and violence has increased as a result. However, this violence associated with cocaine trafficking does not compare to the rampant violence of the...

Cocaine Effects

Cocaine has powerful negative effects on the heart, brain and emotions. The results of smoking or injecting cocaine can be nearly instantaneous, and these immediate effects wear off in 30 minutes to two hours. Smoking or injecting cocaine results in a faster and shorter high, compared to snorting coke. The results of smoking or injecting cocaine can be nearly instantaneous. Whatever the method of taking it in, cocaine quickly enters the bloodstream and travels to the brain. Cocaine produces...

Signs of Cocaine Overdose

The term drug overdose (or simply overdose or OD) describes the ingestion or application of a drug or other substance in quantities greater than are recommended or generally practiced. An overdose is widely considered harmful and dangerous as it can result in death. Cocaine is a stimulant with characteristics very prone to abuse. Cocaine users not only habitually use cocaine but also increase their dosage over time in a futile attempt to repeat or exceed the initial ‘high.’ Not being able...

Cocaine Medical Usage

Cocaine is derived from the coca plant that has been used by inhabitants of villages throughout Peru and Bolivia for many years. They would chew on coca leaves as it was found to be the standard remedy for symptoms of hunger and cold and for two folk illnesses: el soka, a condition of weakness, fatigue, and general malaise; and el fiero, a chronic wasting illness. Albert Neimann first isolated and synthesized cocaine powder in 1860 in a pure form from the leaves of coca plants. Soon...

Forms and Effects of Cocaine

Cocaine is an illegal drug that affects the central nervous system and can lead to a person needing cocaine rehab treatment. Cocaine is derived from the coca leaf and has been chewed in its original form by indigenous people of South America for thousands of years. It is the most potent stimulant of natural origin and one of the most powerfully addictive drugs. Even before cocaine was isolated in its sulfate form, the leaf’s effects were well known and documented. The indigenous people...

Cocaine Warning Signs

Many addicts report that they seek but fail to achieve as much pleasure from cocaine as they did from their first exposure. Scientific evidence shows that there are powerful neurological reinforcing properties that are responsible for an individual’s continued use. The immediate effects of cocaine and signs that someone is “high” are inclusive of hyper-stimulation, reduced fatigue and mental clarity. Depending on the route of administration, these signs or effects will vary. For...

Cocaine Abuse in America

Cocaine abuse has created a huge industry in America. In fact, the U.S. cocaine market was estimated to be worth $70 billion in 2005, which is more than the total revenues of large corporations such as Starbucks. The profitability from cocaine sold in the United States holds large dividends for the illegal drug market. The United States is one of the most profitable illegal drug markets in the world. The U.S./Mexico border is the primary entry point for cocaine shipments smuggled into the...

Street names for cocaine

All drugs have nicknames. They are useful for two reasons, one is that they make the user of the nickname seem ‘cool’ (a major reason for doing drugs such as cocaine in the first place), and second, it masks the drug habits of a user. Cocaine is the type of drug that is used alone just as often as it is used in combination with other drugs. In fact, many use cocaine as a way to stay awake so that they can stay out longer when they’re partying. Others use it to enhance the...