Your crack cocaine Information
Extraction of pure cocaine was first done from the leaf of the Erythroxylon coca bush, which is found mainly in the high mountain ranges of Peru and Bolivia, in the mid nineteenth century. The natives of this region used the coca leaves as a stimulant. The effect of intake was increased breathing, which led to higher intake of oxygen. Given the tough environmental conditions, namely thin air at high altitudes, the laborers were able to carry out their physical activities with more stamina. Gradually, the powerful stimulating effects of the coca leaf were duly noticed by the scientific world. Cocaine was first synthesized in 1855. The coca leaves were chemically synthesized, leaving the white crystalline powder, which is now known as cocaine. Hence, the hitherto mild stimulating effects of the coca leaves were maximized in the form of this potent drug. By the early 1900’s, it was to become the main stimulant in numerous cure-all tonics and elixirs. With the passage of time, more novel methods to intensify the ecstatic effects of cocaine were invented. These efforts led to the invention of ‘crack’, the most dangerous and potent form of cocaine.
The famous psychologist Sigmund Freud was the first to promote the drug as a cure for depression and sexual impotence. In 1886, John Pemberton, the inventor of the new soft drink Coca-Cola used it as the chief ingredient. This gave an added boost to the popularity of the drug. Coca-Cola’s status as the most popular soft drink in history can be attributed to the powerful energizing effects of cocaine.
In the second half of the 19th century, opium, heroin and cocaine were freely used in making tonics and elixirs that were broadly advocated as cures for a wide range of diseases. There was a prominent and socially approved drug culture in the American society at the time. Other famous promoters of this drug were Thomas Edison and actress Sarah Bernhart. It was widely used in Hollywood too. Such staunch support coming from role models of the time, powerfully catapulted cocaine to a cult-like status.
It was only some years later that the dangers of cocaine use came to the fore. Gradually, as the harmful side effects of cocaine became known, public protest against it reached a crescendo pitch, finally resulting in a total ban on its use. Pemberton was forced to remove cocaine from Coca-Cola in 1903. Cocaine became a banned narcotic according to The Dangerous Drug Act of 1920. Unfortunately, a market for cocaine was already created and continues to flourish even today.
Today, crack is the most sought after form of cocaine. Crack has been a part of American culture for about 150 years, although it is relatively new compared to other drugs such and heroin and opium, which have been around for much longer. Smoking crack cocaine became popular in the 1970’s. Since then, it has claimed millions of lives in America and around the world.
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ezinearticles.comPeople are often misinformed that cocaine is not addictive since studies show that it does not share the same physical addiction that drugs like alcohol and heroin have. But the powerful psychological effects it causes are just as dangerous.
Cocaine addiction has numerous physiological and psychological side effects. The adverse effects of cocaine's appear almost immediately after a single dose, and fade away within a few minutes or hours. Cocaine can cause intense vasospasm of blood vessels, dilate pupils, increase the heart rate and blood pressure and can also generate a febrile response.
Cocaine produces an artificial feeling of pleasure by chemically mimicking certain normal brain messenger chemicals. These chemicals in cocaine produce positive feelings in response to signals from the brain.
There are two fundamental forms of cocaine: powdered and "freebase." The powdered form easily dissolves in water whereas freebase is a mixture that has not been neutralized by an acid. The freebase form is usually smoked or snorted.
Cocaine may be inhaled (snorting), injected or smoked. Irrespective of the method of intake, cocaine is still a potentially deadly agent. Most individuals report that the psychotic features and habituation are more rapid and pronounced after smoking cocaine, compared to other methods.
Use of cocaine in a binge, during which the drug is taken repeatedly and at increasingly high doses, may lead to a state of increasing irritability, restlessness, and paranoia. This can result in a period of full-blown paranoid psychosis, in which the user loses touch with reality and experiences auditory hallucinations.
The effects of cocaine use include heart attacks, respiratory failure, strokes, and seizures. Large amounts can cause bizarre and violent behavior. In rare cases, sudden death can occur on the first use of cocaine or unexpectedly thereafter.
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Article author: lilly william
Cocaine Addiction usually starts innocently as an experiment or as just going along with the crowd. For some people, cocaine use remains casual. But for many the 'rush' or sense of 'euphoria' is just too tantalizing and the casual cocaine user gradually becomes an addict without even realizing it, even after it totally rules their life. It is as though cocaine addiction has an inherent denial of itself. Even after being arrested, incarcerated and rehab, an addict often totally denies that there is any problem. This is the real problem of drug addiction: the complete denial that there is any addiction. It is this denial that ultimately leads to the addicts' life spiraling out of control.
Unlike methamphetamine addiction, cocaine addiction can actually 'sneak up' on the user over time. This may take a few weeks or months, before a real problem begins to set in. And before the "casual user" even suspects there might be an addiction, the bank account is drained, the jewelry is gone, the credit cards are maxed out and the mortgage is three months behind. Even at this stage, the addict will strongly deny any addiction even when incarcerated. This is the truth about addiction that ultimately leaves your loved one to suffer.
Effective Cocaine addiction treatment can only begin when the addict can actually and honestly admit to even the smallest level of addiction. The vast majority of addicts will "agree with the prison counselor" for no other reason than to be released faster or just avoid an argument, only to use cocaine again an hour or less after being released. It is as though the addict is completely oblivious to the truth around them and actually race toward a long prison term or worse. It is getting the addict to see any part of this truth that is the limiting factor in rescuing these individuals from the ravages of addiction. The worst thing you can do for your addicted love one is to make accusations or have them committed against their will to some lock-down rehab facility. Remember, they are absolutely sure that they are not addicts and there is little you can do to change their minds. Making accusations or committing them to rehab only makes the addict angry and hate you, even though you are really only trying to help.
The key is to give the addict a real opportunity to prove to you that they are not addicted. Most addicts jump at this chance as they are really interested in proving it to themselves. One method is to give the addict a $100 bill and dare them not to use it to buy Cocaine. Tell them that you will follow-up with them in a day or so and ask if they used any of the money to buy Cocaine. It is the mere fact you are pointing out that they must resist which makes it impossible for them to actually resist. In most cases, the addicts mind will be so fixated on trying not to use the money to buy cocaine that the addict will find themselves buying within a few hours. The will power of a bona fide drug addict with cash-in-hand is scientifically proven to be absolutely zero. All you need to do is ask your loved one the very next day if they used any of the money you gave them to buy cocaine and really look them right in the eye. Most addicts will break down at this point. This is where you can actually take the addict directly to a rehab facility and they will commit themselves willingly. Remember, avoid going that extra mile by forcing the addict to admit to being addicted or to tell you exactly what they did with the money. Just take them to get help as the very next step.
Article author: Steve Anderson
