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A Brief History of CocaineCocaine Use
For as long as humans have been around there have been problems with addictions of various kinds. There has also been a fascination with those substances that are found to intensify the good things about the human experience. Three thousand years before the birth of Christ the coca plant was hailed as a gift from God and chewing the leaves for their inebriating effect was commonplace among the natives that lived in the high mountain ranges of South America. The coca was a stimulant that was particularly well suited to those who lived at these high altitudes where oxygen was scarce.
In the 1500's coca plantations dotted the South American highlands and silver mine workers were fed the stuff to keep them diligently at their work for grueling long hours. In the 1800's people got wise to the trick of extracting the essential ingredient out of the coca leaves and, in 1862, Merck proudly produced 1/4 pound of cocaine. This was the beginning of a long and controversial relationship with the drug. You see the world of the 1800s was not for the faint hearted. Drug use and abuse was considered normal and was rampant across all social classes. The attitude towards cocaine, heroin and opium was not what it is today. Many of the rich, famous and beautiful were known to indulge without apology to authorities that had not yet learnt to care. The first big name to give cocaine the big nod was Herr Sigmund Freud himself, the man who set himself up as the psychoanalyst of a society and its several generations. He recommended it as a safe and useful remedy for things like depression and sexual impotence. The man was an authority, few would dare gainsay him. In 1886 John Pemberton proudly launched Coca Cola the drink that proved irresistible to the public for some very obvious reasons. It was laced with cocaine. Thomas Edison, the light bulb man and famous silent movie stars like Sarah Bernhart were high profile advocates of the drug. Hollywood in typical style rode the bandwagon with aplomb and promoted narcotics for a heady number of years when they were considered a regular part of the high life, if you'll pardon the pun. In the early 1900s cocaine, opium and heroin could be found in many of the "cure all" tonics that were administered liberally to people of all ages including children and the elderly. So what changed all of this? To what do we owe today's serious legal and societal drug taboos? The realization process was a slow one. Cocaine as we know it had been around for over 50 years before the dangers of the drug were fully acknowledged and acted upon. The term "dope fiend" was developed to describe the crazed behavior of the cocaine addict. Because it is such a powerful stimulant it would keep people awake and lead to a serious loss of appetite. Society was beginning to notice the presence of these haunting, ghoulish victims of the drug. It did not escape attention that some of the revered beauties and talented writers, poets and actors were succumbing to its deadly grip. As the problem grew so did social awareness. Public pressure forced the inventor of the hugely popular drink, Coca Cola, to remove cocaine permanently from the recipe. The social use of drugs like cocaine was banned and by 1920 the drug was added to the list of narcotics outlawed by the Dangerous Drug Act. Some argue that this was too little too late. The market had already been established and endorsed by the kinds of icons that are trendsetters for decades too come. Cocaine is now recognized by the NIDA (National Institute On Drug Abuse) as a powerfully addictive stimulant capable of causing "acute cardiovascular or cerebrovascular emergencies that could result in sudden death". Cocaine, in the powdered or crystal form, interferes with the re-absorption process of dopamine that is associated with pleasure and movement. The euphoria experienced is caused by the buildup of excess dopamine that causes the continuous stimulation of "receiving" neurons. Increased usage of the drug creates a tolerance that forces the user to step up the dosage. This tolerance is paralleled by an increasing sensitivity to cocaine's physical effects. This combination is thought to be the cause of deaths occurring after low doses of cocaine. |
crack Reply to this Comment Pure cocaine was first used in the 1880s as a local anesthetic in eye, nose, and throat surgeries because of its ability to provide anesthesia as well as to constrict blood vessels and limit bleeding. Many of its therapeutic applications are now obsolete due to the development of safer drugs.1 Approximately 100 years after cocaine entered into use, a new variation of the substance emerged. This substance, crack, became enormously popular in the mid-1980s due in part to its almost immediate high and the fact that it is inexpensive to produce and buy.2 Cocaine is a powerfully addictive stimulant drug. The powdered, hydrochloride salt form of the drug can be snorted or dissolved in water and injected. Crack is cocaine that has not been neutralized by an acid to make the hydrochlorida salt. This form of cocaine comes in a rock crystal that can be heated and its vapors smoked. The term "crack" comes from the crackling sound made when it is heated.3 Top Extent of Use According to the 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), approximately 8.6 million Americans aged 12 or older reported trying crack cocaine at least once during their lifetimes, representing 3.5% of the population aged 12 or older. Additional 2006 NSDUH data indicate that approximately 1.5 million (0.6%) reported past year crack cocaine use and 702,000 (0.3%) reported past month crack cocaine use.4 The 2006 NSDUH results also indicate that there were 245,000 persons aged 12 or older who had used crack cocaine for the first time within the past 12 months.5 Results of the 2007 Monitoring the Future survey indicate that 2.1% of eighth graders, 2.3% of tenth graders, and 3.2% of twelfth graders reported lifetime use of crack cocaine. In 2006, these percentages were 2.3%, 2.2%, and 3.5%, respectively.6 Percent of Students Reporting Crack Cocaine Use, 2006–2007 8th Grade 10th Grade 12th Grade 2006 2007 2006 2007 2006 2007 Past month 0.6% 0.6% 0.7% 0.5% 0.9% 0.9% Past year 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.3 2.1 1.9 Lifetime 2.3 2.1 2.2 2.3 3.5 3.2 Approximately 68.3% of eighth graders, 76.0% of tenth graders, and 63.6% of twelfth graders surveyed in 2007 reported that taking crack cocaine occasionally was a "great risk."7 Percent of Students Reporting Risk of Using Crack Cocaine, 2007 Say "great risk" to: 8th Grade 10th Grade 12th Grade Try crack once/twice 47.3% 56.4% 47.3% Take crack occasionally 68.3 76.0 63.6 Approximately 1.7% of college students and 4.1% of young adults (ages 19-28) surveyed in 2005 reported lifetime use of crack cocaine.8 Percent of College Students/Young Adults Reporting Crack Use, 2004–2005 College Students Young Adults 2004 2005 2004 2005 Past month 0.4% 0.1% 0.3% 0.3% Past year 1.3 0.8 1.3 1.2 Lifetime 2.0 1.7 4.2 4.1 According to data from the Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring (ADAM) Program, a median of 30.1% of adult male arrestees and 35.3% of adult female arrestees tested positive for cocaine (all varieties) at arrest in 2003. The adult male samples were compiled from 39 U.S. sites and the adult female samples were compiled from 25 sites. A median of 17.2% of adult male arrestees and 24.5% of adult female arrestees reported using crack cocaine at least once in the year before being arrested.9 Past Crack Cocaine Use by Arrestees, 2003 Past Crack Cocaine Use by Arrestees Male Female Used in past 7 days 12.9% 20.0% Used in past 30 days 13.8 20.5 Used in past year 17.2 24.5 Avg. # of days used in past 30 days 8.1 days 10.1 days Top Health Effects Cocaine is a strong central nervous system stimulant. Physical effects of cocaine use, including crack, include constricted blood vessels and increased temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure. Users may also experience feelings of restlessness, irritability, and anxiety.10 Smoking crack delivers large quantities of the drug to the lungs, producing effects comparable to intravenous injection. These effects are felt almost immediately after smoking, are very intense, but do not last long.11 For example, the high from snorting cocaine may last 15–30 minutes, while the high from smoking it may last 5–10 minutes.12 Evidence suggests that users who smoke or inject cocaine may be at even greater risk of causing harm to themselves than those who snort the substance. Cocaine smokers may suffer from acute respiratory problems including coughing, shortness of breath, and severe chest pains with lung trauma and bleeding.13 An added danger of cocaine use is when cocaine and alcohol are consumed at the same time. When these substances are mixed, the human liver combines cocaine and alcohol and manufactures a third substance, cocaethylene. This intensifies cocaine's euphoric effects, while also possibly increasing the risk of sudden death.14 Most cocaine-related deaths are a result of cardiac arrest or seizures followed by respiratory arrest.15 Cocaine is a powerfully addictive drug. A tolerance to the cocaine high may be developed and many addicts report that they fail to achieve as much pleasure as they did from their first cocaine exposure.16 During 2002, emergency departments (ED) nationwide reported 42,146 crack mentions to the Drug Abuse Warning Network. Crack accounted for 21% of the total cocaine mentions during the year. The number of crack ED mentions has increased from 33,789 in 1995, but has decreased from 46,964 in 2001.17 Top Treatment Crack cocaine represented 72% of all primary cocaine admissions to treatment in 2005. From 1995 to 2005, the number of admissions to treatment in which crack was the primary drug of abuse decreased from 207,608 in 1995 to 185,236 in 2005. The crack admissions represented 12.4% of the total drug/alcohol admissions to treatment during 1995 and 10.0% of the treatment admissions in 2005. The average age of those admitted to treatment for crack cocaine during 2005 was 38 years.18 Top Arrests & Sentencing During FY 2004, cocaine was the primary drug involved in Federal drug arrests. There were 12,166 Federal drug arrests for cocaine in FY 2004. The DEA made 7,082 arrests for powder cocaine and 3,921 arrests for crack cocaine during FY 2004.19 During FY 2006, there were 5,623 Federal defendants sentenced for crack cocaine-related charges in U.S. Courts. Approximately 96% of the cases involved crack cocaine trafficking.20 Top Production & Trafficking Crack is cocaine that has been processed from cocaine hydrochloride to a free base for smoking. Crack cocaine is processed with ammonia or sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and water. It is then heated to remove the hydrochloride producing a form of cocaine that can be smoked.21 Top Legislation Cocaine (all forms) was first Federally-regulated in December 1914 with the passage of the Harrison Act. This Act banned the non-medical use of cocaine; prohibited its importation; imposed the same criminal penalties for cocaine users as for opium, morphine, and heroin users; and required a strict accounting of medical prescriptions for cocaine. As a result of the Harrison Act and the emergence of cheaper, legal substances such as amphetamines, cocaine became scarce in the U.S. However, use began to rise again in the 1960s, prompting Congress to classify it as a Schedule II substance in 1970.22 Schedule II substances have a high potential for abuse, a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States with severe restrictions, and may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence.23 While cocaine can currently be administered by a doctor for legitimate medical uses, such as a local anesthetic for some eye, ear, and throat surgeries, there are currently no medical uses for crack cocaine.24 Top Street Terms25 Common Terms Associated with Crack Term Definition Term Definition Bingers Crack addicts Oolies Marijuana laced with crack Geeker Crack user Rooster Crack Jelly beans Crack Tornado Crack Moonrock Crack mixed with heroin Wicky stick PCP, marijuana, and crack Top Other Links A Collection of Articles That Address Research on Cocaine This resource presents links to and full text of National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) research articles concerning cocaine. Cocaine Abuse and Addiction This report provides information on powder and crack cocaine abuse, effects, and describes effective treatment. Cocaine Publications A listing of powder and crack cocaine-related publications from various sources. Common Drugs of Abuse: Cocaine This site provides links to NIDA resources related to crack and cocaine. Sources 1 Drug Enforcement Administration, Drugs of Abuse, 2005 2 National Institute on Drug Abuse, Cocaine Abuse and Addiction, November 2004 3 National Institute on Drug Abuse, InfoFacts: Crack and Cocaine, April 2006 4 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Results from the 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings, September 2007 5 Ibid. 6 National Institute on Drug Abuse and University of Michigan, 2007 Monitoring the Future Study Drug Data Tables, December 2007 7 Ibid. 8 National Institute on Drug Abuse and University of Michigan, Monitoring the Future 2005 Data From In-School Surveys of 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-Grade Students, December 2005 9 National Institute of Justice, Drug and Alcohol Use and Related Matters Among Arrestees, 2003 (PDF), 2004 10 National Institute on Drug Abuse, InfoFacts: Crack and Cocaine, April 2006 11 Drug Enforcement Administration Web site, Drug Descriptions: Cocaine 12 National Institute on Drug Abuse, InfoFacts: Crack and Cocaine, April 2006 13 Drug Enforcement Administration Web site, Drug Descriptions: Cocaine 14 Ibid. 15 Ibid. 16 Ibid. 17 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Emergency Department Trends from the Drug Abuse Warning Network, Final Estimates 1995–2002, July 2003 18 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) Highlights—2005, February 2007 19 Bureau of Justice Statistics, Compendium of Federal Justice Statistics, 2004, December 2006 20 U.S. Sentencing Commission, 2006 Sourcebook of Federal Sentencing Statistics, 2007 21 National Institute on Drug Abuse, InfoFacts: Crack and Cocaine, April 2006 22 U.S. Department of Justice, CIA-Contra-Crack Cocaine Controversy, Appendix C 23 Drug Enforcement Administration, Drugs of Abuse, 2005 24 National Institute on Drug Abuse, Cocaine: Abuse and Addiction (PDF), November 2004 25 Office of National Drug Control Policy, Drug Policy Information Clearinghouse, Street Terms: Drugs and the Drug Trade Crack cocaine section -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PRIVACY help me undrestand Reply to this Comment yes my son in law is at a halfway house was in jail for 1/2 months .he has been on crack for 10 years he has sold things beat his wife took his kids with him to buy drugs they seen him beat by drug dealers and was finally caught and put in jail. the judge made him go to this halfway house. now is this really going to help him .when he was made to go..i just dont have faith in him and i just think he didnt want this.. and he tells my daughter that he did.. but he can look you in the face and lie ..he will be in rehab for 90 days ..he was on probation for 3 years and broke it in 2 months when he got caugh with the crack.. thanks and let me know please.. We are experiencing the same thing! Reply to this Comment Are you talking about my brother? He has the same exact "symptoms." He took his baby daughter without a carseat to find drugs in the middle of the day! His wife left him, has full custody, and he is homeless. This is a man raised in an upperclass neighborhood with all of the opportunities in the world - incredible athlete, college degree from a renowned university, and an incredibly promising career, - all gone. Now he is homeless, in and out of jail, and is currently in this rehab center. He stole money and jewels from his own family and lies with such a straight face. Incredible. We try to forgive, but it gets harder and harder. He gets chance after chance an blows it. Will he ever get better? cocaine Reply to this Comment Cocaine is a bad thing that can kill you very quickly and the worst part is it takes your whole FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND YOUR MONEY. say a prayer for me Reply to this Comment i am a crack addict and it has destroyed me pray for me because i died tonight. my brother Reply to this Comment my brother is an amazing guy heart of gold, but hes had a hard life he experinced abuse from a neighbor who gave him drugs at the age of 7 sense then he has been addicted to cocain. yes 7. he has experinced with other drugs been hospitalized and sent to every type of facitlity. i need my brother back.he was cheated in life. advice?? crack cocaine Reply to this Comment crack has ruined my life i lost the best woman any man could ask for kids family and my dignity just for a few minutes of felling good but them few minutes cost me a whole life of happiness with the best wife and kids ever | ||||||||
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By:Jim Posted: Dec 28 2007 01:53:59 PM