14 Jun Horrific Footage Shows the Seriously Damaging Effects of Long-Term Cocaine Use
Recent reports from the US State Department suggest that cocaine use is rising for the first time in nearly a decade. Prior to this report released in May 2017, cocaine use appeared relatively stable in the US SINCE 2009. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), there were an estimated 1.5 million current (past-month) cocaine users aged 12 or older (0.6% of the population).
In the UK, the figure was significantly higher. Around 1 in 12 (8.4%) of adults aged 16 to 59 had taken an illicit drug in the last year. This equates to around 2.7 million people. A study carried out by the EU’s drug monitoring agency found London to have the highest cocaine usage in Europe, with Amsterdam in second place. Cocaine is the most commonly used illicit stimulant drug in Europe, with an estimated 2.4 million young adults between 15 and 34 having taken the drug in the last year.
Cocaine has various effects on the body, including making users feel on top of the world, wide-awake, confident and on top of their game. However, this can lead people to take careless risks and therefore puts those under its influence under increased danger. the effects of smoking crack cocaine can peak for about two minutes and last for up to 10 minutes. In contrast, when snorted, effects can last up to 30 minutes. This short “high” can encourage users to take more, which is problematic for various reasons. Regular use can increase users’ tolerance, such that larger amounts of the drug are needed to achieve similar levels of intoxication. Ironically, at the same time, users can also become even more sensitive to other effects of the drug, so that smaller amounts of it produce anxiety, convulsions, or other toxic effects. The combination of the desire for more amounts to achieve a high, and needing less amounts to be severely affected sharply raise the risk of overdosing.
Cocaine also has several long-term impacts on several organs in the body, including the brain, lungs and heart. It reduces blood flow in the gastrointestinal tract, which can lead to tears and ulcerations. Many chronic cocaine users lose their appetite and experience significant weight loss and malnourishment. Cocaine has significant and well-recognized toxic effects on the heart and cardiovascular system. Chest pain that feels like a heart attack is common and sends many cocaine users to the emergency room. Cocaine also raises body temperature and makes the heart beat faster. Use of the drug is linked with increased risk of stroke, as well as inflammation of the heart muscle, deterioration of the ability of the heart to contract, and aortic ruptures. In particular, the effects of the drug on the heart were vividly depicted in a video shown on talk show The Doctors.
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