Cocaine

It is a drug in the form of powder or crystal.

Cocaine is one of the most dangerous drugs
in the world.

Once people start using the drug it is highly
addictive.

It stimulates the mental and physical parts of
a person. Physically it stimulates the nerve
endings of a person. Mentally it stimulates the
brain and creates and sense of euphoria.

Cocaine is a multi-billion dollar enterprise across
the world. People of all ages use this highly
harmful drug.

Short-term effects

Loss of appetite.

Increased heart rate, body temperature,
and blood pressure.

Contracted blood vessels, increased rate
of breathing.

Dilated pupils.

Disturbed sleep patterns, nausea.

Hyper-stimulation, bizarre erratic,
sometimes violent behaviour.

Hallucinations, hyper-excitability, irritability.

Often times users will experience hallucinations
that create the illusion of bugs burrowing
under the skin.

Intense euphoria, paranoia, anxiety, depression.

Intense drug craving, panic, and psychosis.

Convulsions, seizures, and even sudden death
when taking high doses.

Long-term effects

Permanent damage to blood vessels of heart
and brain.

High blood pressure, leading to heart attacks
strokes and death.

Liver, kidney, and lung damage.

Destruction of nasal tissue when sniffed, respiratory
failure when smoked, infectious diseases or
abscesses when injected.

Malnutrition, weight loss, severe tooth decay.

Sexual problems and infertility

Disorientation, apathy, confused exhaustion.

Irritability and mood disturbances.

Increased frequency of risky behaviour.

Severe addicition

The drug is extracted from coca leaves.
It was originally invented as a pain killer
quickly became a recreational drug people
use.

It is often combined with other powders
such as talcum powder, sugar, corn starch,
or even other drugs.

It is sniffed, rubbed on the persons gums or
ingested. To get high faster some users will
inject the drug right into their veins.

Sometimes the drug is made into a vapour
or smoke that can also speed up absorbtion.