Cocaine Addiction

The White House Drug Policy study also delved into the specific area of cocaine use among teenagers. These are the report’s findings:

• Of high school and college students, 3.3 percent admit to being current cocaine users.
• Eight percent of high school students said they tried out cocaine while they were still in high school.
• In terms of access to the drug, 19 percent of eight graders, 28 percent of 10^th graders and 38 percent of teens all told researchers working on the White House Drug Policy that is was easy to get a hold of cocaine when they wanted it.

Using, buying or selling cocaine is a crime. Attached to cocaine trafficking and use are many other criminal activities such as gun possession, robbery and murder. In fact, around 17 percent of incarcerated inmates told researchers that they committed some form of crime to pay for their cocaine use. When it comes to importing cocaine, sadly America has become number one on this list.There are even more crime statistics related to cocaine use:

• Around 20 percent of the current inmate population was arrested while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
• According to the DEA, in 2004 alone illegal cocaine activity accounted for over 12,000 federal drug busts.
• The DEA also has found that minute particles of cocaine substances can actually be identified on nearly all the paper money in circulation throughout the country.
• The Bureau of Justice Statistics found that over 27 percent of the prisoner population in 2004 admitted to be frequent cocaine or crack users.

Cocaine Addiction Facts

Ready to learn more about cocaine and its effects?

• Cocaine comes from the leaf of the Erythroxylon coca bush.
• Cocaine is classified as a Schedule II drug, which means that it has the high potential for abuse but can be prescribed by a doctor for legitimate medical purposes.
• It is common to combine cocaine with other drugs and use them simultaneously. One common example is heroin and cocaine, also called a “speedball.”
• Cocaine can be snorted, dissolved in water and injected, or smoked.
• In 2008, about 1.4 million Americans met the criteria for diagnosis of cocaine abuse or addiction in the past year.
• Almost a quarter of the two million visits to the emergency room caused by drug abuse involved cocaine, according to the 2008 Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) report.
• Snorting cocaine supplies the slowest onset of the cocaine high of all the different ways to ingest the drug but the high lasts between 15 and 30 minutes.
• Short-term effects of cocaine abuse include increased heart rate, dilated pupils, increased body temperature, and higher blood pressure.
• In large amounts, cocaine abuse can lead to violent and irrational behavior and/or intense paranoia.

Someone who is caught up with a cocaine addiction problem will most likely be switching out their old circle of friends for a new circle which will include fellow cocaine users and possibly a dealer. This new group of people will quickly become enablers and co-dependents, helping your loved one find the drug and encouraging them to continue using. Part of the cocaine rehab recovery will mean disassociating with this group of so-called friends.

This is one of the most common and easy-to-spot physical symptoms. If a person simply gets a nosebleed, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are a cocaine abuser; however, persistent nosebleeds should be a red flag for cocaine use. This is because with constant use, cocaine actually damages nasal membranes, forcing them to collapse and bleed.

A cocaine addict can quickly spiral into financial ruin as they continue to feed their habit. If your loved one is constantly borrowing money, selling off valuables or if you suspect them of stealing from you, it might be an indication of a growing cocaine problem.

Cocaine abuse often occurs via a pattern of long binges followed by extended periods of crashing out. A person who is spending a lot of daylight time in bed “recovering” from the night before could be having an issue with the drug.

When a person crashes from a cocaine binge, the last thing they want to do is get up for work. This could put their job in jeopardy. Continually missing work could force their manager to dismiss them. This could only increase the pressure for them to find money and use.

Despite what some people think, cocaine abuse isn’t a lot of fun. In fact, it can cause a person to suffer through panic attacks and experience bouts of paranoia. There will also be mood swings, lashing out and other forms of disruptive behavior as their bodies are thrown into upheaval from the drug use.