Okay i know people are going to get mad at me for posting something this long but for those of you who want to read it! Here is an essay i did on it last year.
Cocaine
As the popularity of teen drug use increases, one of the more popular drugs, cocaine is becoming more dangerous to today’s youth. Today, drugs are becoming more and more accessible to people, especially teens, therefore deaths related to teen drug abuse are greatly increasing. Before teens take their first “hit” they should know what kind of drug they are taking, the effects of the drug and the health risks associated with the drug.
Cocaine is a very dangerous drug. It comes from the coca plant and the drug targets the nervous system. Cocaine is a stimulant which means it creates a sense of euphoria or happiness to the user(*****1). One of its most common dangers is that it is one of the most addictive narcotic substances. People can easily get addicted after their first time using the drug. There are primarily two forms of the chemical drug produced from the coca plant; hydrochloride salt and “freebase.” The hydrochloride salt is the powdered form of the drug from the coca plant and when abused, can be administered intravenously, (by dissolving in water), or intranasally, (snorting). The “freebase” form is cocaine before it has been crystallized by hydrochloric acid, this form can be smoked and is widely known as, “crack” (*****2).
“Cocaine effects are extremely detrimental on the body and the consequences related to cocaine effects can eventually lead to permanent damage, addiction and death” (*****3). The short effects of cocaine can vary from user to user although the most common short-term effects can include a sense of a rush, increased energy and hallucinations have been known to result. When you administer the drug into your blood stream the dangerous effects it can have include: increased blood pressure, constricted blood vessels, dilated pupils, mental alertness, increased heart rate, decreased appetite and an increased body temperature (****3). These effects can last from 15-30 minutes. Since cocaine is a very addictive substance the long-term effects can be medically very harmful. Frequent users can get hazards such as: heart disease, respiratory failure, strokes, seizures, gastrointestinal problems, addiction, paranoia, irritability, restlessness, auditory hallucinations, and mood disturbances (*****3). Everyday cocaine abusers are putting their health and body at risk.
Whether it be crack, cocaine, marijuana or the odd heroin user, substance abuse is becoming more common in high schools. A wide survey conducted by the American National Institute on Drug Abuse finds that an average of 5.4% of teens in grades 8-12 regularly use crack or cocaine. This is a 2.3% increase since the study conducted in 1992 (*****4). In the last study conducted by Health Canada, the average regular usage of cocaine in any form for teens aged 15-25 in Canada is about 4.5% (***** 5).
Schools across the globe are now teaching drug awareness programs to their students which are helping inform teens of the complications and health risks that come with cocaine and drug abuse. Cocaine is not only devastatingly to your health and your body but it is very expensive as well. Knowing more about drugs and drug abuse can help raise the awareness about drugs to teens.
