Cocaine's Negative Side.
By : Alex Ward
Building a Tolerance for Cocaine.
Injecting the Cocaine.
It is important to note that cocaine addiction can be hard to combat, and that it is best to avoid using the drug in the first place. Common street names for cocaine include blow, coke, snow and flake. Cocaine can be taken in a variety of ways, including smoked, injected and snorted. Snorting and injection are the two most common methods of taking cocaine. Crack cocaine is the name for the free base cocaine that is used for smoking.
Signs That Someone is High on Cocaine.
Bloodshot eyes.
Frequent sniffing or runny nose (coming when one is snorting).
Dramatic shift in sleeping habits • especially staying up all night.
Change in group of friends.
Shift in weight, especially dramatic weight loss.
Loss of appetite.
Lack of motivation.
Loses interest in activities that used he or she used to enjoy.
Frequent and dramatic mood swings.
Presence of drug paraphernalia.
Declining performance at school and work.
Signs of depression.
Stops taking care of personal appearance and hygiene needs.
Always asking for money (or even stealing it) • usually in order to support the habit.
Percentage of Teenagers in Use of Cocaine.
Cocaine is not one of the more widely abused drugs by teenagers, but teen cocaine abuse does exist. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, about six million people over the age of 12 have used cocaine at least once in the past year. 3.4% of 10th graders and 5.2% of 12th graders have used cocaine in the past year. Most cocaine use by teenagers is experimentation, but that does not mean that cocaine is safe.
Long Term Health Effects from Cocaine.
Long term health effects of cocaine can be even more disturbing. If one uses cocaine for a long period of time, or in high dosage amounts, he or she may experience the following health effects:
Seizures.
Stroke.
Respiratory problems.
Heart attack.
Brain damage.
Infections due to needle sharing amongst those who inject cocaine.
Violent behavior.