Education is one of the most effective means of drug abuse prevention among children. Cocaine use can rob a child of her future and, in some cases, her life. Knowing the facts about this drug may prevent and save a child's life, giving her the future she might otherwise have lost.
Origins
Cocaine comes from the coca leaf, which grows in the Andes Mountains in South America. The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health states that currently most of the world's coca is grown and made into cocaine in South America.
Forms
Cocaine comes in a variety of forms. It can come in powder form, which users snort. Its liquid form is injected with a needle into veins throughout the body, while the crystals or chunks are smoked. Cocaine is sometimes mixed with other drugs, sugar or caffeine in order to increase the effects of the cocaine.
Names
On the street, cocaine is known by different names, including coke, dust, blow, bloke, dream, crack, snow, flakes and bernice, according to KidsGrowth.com.
Addiction
The effects of cocaine on the body take place within 15 to 20 minutes and disappear within an hour. KidsGrowth.com states that the immediate effects are the reason cocaine is so addictive. Addiction grows each time someone uses the drug, and can begin almost immediately following the first time the drug is used.
Effects
Cocaine effects a number of areas of the body. Its psychological effects include nausea, weight loss, problems sleeping and seizures. It also effects personality, often causing users to lie and steal just to purchase more cocaine. Users may also suffer from confusion and depression, a condition resulting in severe sadness and hopelessness that doesn't end without prescribed medication. Cocaine use may also lead to severe health issues such as lung and heart problems. In some cases, users die from their addiction.
