Transcript cocaine
Chapter 11
Stimulants: Cocaine, Amphetamines,
and Caffeine
COCAINE
NATURALLY OCCURRING DRUG WITH
LOCAL ANESTHETIC PROPERTIES
COMES FROM THE LEAVES OF THE
COCA BUSH
ADMINISTRATION: SNORTING
Cocaine: Historical Perspectives
Chewing Coca leaves was popular
among Inca Civilizations
Ancient Inca records indicate
that coca chewing was appreciated
for increased strength and stamina to
workers
Coca was used to measure
time and distance (mouthfuls of coca
leaves)
Cocaine: Historical Perspectives
1859’s - German chemist, Alfred
Nieman isolated cocaine
1863 - Vin Mariani (wine with cocaine)
Cocaine: Historical Perspectives
1884 - Freud used cocaine to “cure”
morphine addiction - Freud himself
became dependent upon cocaine
1885 - John Pemberton took out alcohol
added soda water, syrup from kola
nut, and caffeine to produce Cocacola
Cocaine: Historical Perspectives
Late 1800’s negative public reaction to
cocaine
1914 Harrison Narcotic Act was enacted
and non-medical use of cocaine
drecreased
1970’s – recreational use of cocaine
again became popular
LOW DOSES
INCREASED HEART RATE
INCREASED BLOOD PRESSURE
DECREASE IN FATIGUE
INCREASE IN MENTAL ALERTNESS
INCREASED SOCIABILITY
HIGH DOSES
NERVOUSNESS
DIZZINESS, BLURRED VISION
VOMITING, TREMORS
REPRESSION OF HEART ENZYMES
CONVULSIONS
DEATH
COCAINE EUPHORIA
SHORT-LIVED EUPHORIA
15-30 MINUTE “HIGH”
“CRASHING”
LONG TERM USE
INFECTIONS OF THE NASAL SEPTUM
COCAINE PSYCHOSIS
FORMICATION (COCAINE BUGS)
FREEBASE FORMS
PURIFIED FORMS OF COCAINE
“FREEBASING”
CRACK
CRACK
IMPURITIES FROM COCAINE
REMOVED
SOLD IN TINY CHIPS AND SMOKED
HAS 10 TIMES THE IMPACT OF
COCAINE
EFFECTS OF CRACK
15-30 MINUTE HIGH WITHIN 10
SECONDS OF ADMINISTRATION
CRASHING INCLUDES PROFOUND
DEPRESSION AND NAUSEA
UP AND DOWN CYCLE REINFORCES
CRAVING
AMPHETAMINES
POWERFUL SYNTHETIC STIMULANT
FIRST SYNTHESIZED IN LATE 1800’s
USED MEDICALLY IN 1930’s for
RAISING BLOOD PRESSURE AND
ASTHMA
ALSO USED IN WW2 BY JAPAN AND
GERMANY
Amphetamines are similar to the
neurotransmitters norepinephrine and
dopamine
Effects
Psychological
-euphoria
-restlessness
-agitation
-confusion
-paranoia
-hallucinations
Physical Effects
Dry mouth
High blood pressure
Tremors
Tinnitus
Convulsions
Cardiac arrest
The physical and psychological effects of
amphetamines can last for hours and
the “crashing” can also last for hours
Medical Uses for Amphetamines
Narcolepsy
Depression
Weight Loss
ADHD
Ritalin
Americans consume over 90% of the
world’s Ritalin
More than 4 million American children
take Ritalin
Ritalin has a high safety record
Ritalin Dosage
A low dosage of Ritalin helps the
child’s cognitive processing
Enhances functioning of the RAS
Problems with Ritalin
Adverse effects include
Insomnia
Weight loss
Headahces
Irritability
Nausea
Dizziness
Diversion of Ritalin
Ritalin is an amphetamine cogener so
it can produce a powerful stimulant
effect for someone using it
recreationally
Ritalin is a popular stimulant that is
diverted from medical to recreational
use
Xanthines
XANTHINES ARE NATURALLY
OCCURRING STIMULANTS AND
INCLUDE
CAFFEINE
THEOPHYLLINE
THEOBROMINE
Coffee is the major source for caffeine
Tea is a the major source for
theophylline
Chocolate is the major source for
theobromine
Caffeine
Caffeine is the world’s most
frequently consumed stimulant
The effects at moderate levels are
cerebral stimulation, increased blood
pressure, increased body
temperature, and decreased appetite
LONG-TERM EFFECTS
NO SERIOUS EFFECTS
CONTRAINDICATED WITH PREGNANCY,
HEADACHES, DIGESTIVE PROBLEMS,
PANIC DISORDERS
CAFFEINISM
DEFINED: ACUTE OR CHRONIC
OVERUSE OF CAFFEINE RESULTING
IN DEPENDENCE AND/OR STIMULANT
USE SYMPTOMS
CAFFEINISM SYMPTOMS
RESTLESSNESS
NERVOUSNESS
EXCITEMENT
INSOMNIA
EXCESSIVE DIURESIS
GI COMPLAINTS
CAFFEINISM SYMPTOMS
MUSCLE TWITCHING
RAMBLING FLOW OF THOUGHT/SPEECH
CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIA
Summary
Cocaine is a naturally occurring drug
with local anesthetic properties
High does of cocaine can result in
death
Long term use of cocaine has
negative medical consequences
Crack is a freebase form of cocaine
Amphetamines are powerful
prescription stimulants, commonly
referred to as “speed”
Ritalin is an amphetamine used in
treating ADHD
Caffeine is a cerebral stimulant
Caffeinism results from an overdose
of caffeine