News / Education
Cocaine: Star Drug Abuse
Cocaine is one of the oldest and most addictive drugs in the world
This year five million Americans will voluntarily use cocaine and the potential drug addiction of nausea, pain and insomnia will be no so glamorous. Even when we view a celebrity get a light sentence from a judge on drug possession charges; the actual sentence in terms of damage is not so light.
The long list of famous cocaine users including Sigmund Freud, Robin Williams, Richard Pryor, Ozzy Osbourne, James Brown, Courtney Love, Robert Downey Jr, Amy Winehouse, Pete Doherty, and Kate Moss underscores the fact that life is not improved by cocaine use. Eventually, the drug has to be put down by even those who can afford as much as they want.
The even longer list of not so famous cocaine users is a real problem for the criminal system. Cocaine is the second most commonly detected substance among arrestees in 2008, except in Atlanta where it is the most commonly detected drug. Increased availability and lowered prices has made cocaine accessible to almost anyone and it is now the second most abused illegal drug in the country, next to marijuana.
Cocaine was first isolated from coca leaves by a German chemist 140 years ago, but the leaves have been chewed by South Americans since 2100BC. Chewing them is said to increase strength, reduce pain and stave off tiredness and hunger. Coca's also been used in sacred rituals and traditions. Its impact as an imported product has had some devastating effects.
In 1984 Freud and an associate, Dr. Halsted became addicted to cocaine. Years later, Freud stopped his use of cocaine. In 1906, an increasing amount of reports of toxicity from cocaine abuse, prompted the Food and Drug act and in 1914 The Harrison Narcotic act was passed, prompted by reports of death, caused by the cocaine.
Cocaine is a potent and dangerous drug. The short-term and long-term effects of cocaine are equally dangerous. The risk of cardiac arrest or seizures followed by respiratory failure is equal in both short and long term drug abuse.
Long term studies would undoubtedly demonstrate tremendous savings in terms of government, community and familial spending if we did more to provide treatment for those addicted to cocaine and other drugs. In the meanwhile, saving lives should be enough of an impetus to get behind any attempt to use treatment as an alternative to incarceration.
The Narconon sauna exercise program helps to reduce cravings and also help a cocaine abuser to think more clearly.
Narconon New Life Program
