Cocaine is a favorite among street drugs and is widely used, but it is far from fun and games. Long term use of cocaine leads to the failure of many organs including the skin, brain, lungs and central nervous system. Cocaine is very potent and addictive because the benefits are short-lived.
Addiction
Cocaine is one of the most addictive recreational drugs available. The intense high is very short-lived, and prolonged exposure limits the brain's ability to feel good when it is not "high." Unless cocaine use is continued, the client becomes depressed, now less able to feel pleasure on his own.
Sniffling
If cocaine is constantly snorted, the nose takes a brutal beating. A user can lose her sense of smell, and her voice can also become hoarse. The nose may also be chronically inflamed and runny. The condition is only made worse by swallowing because of the irritation of the nasal passages and throat from snorting cocaine.
Needle Vulnerability
Shooting cocaine into the veins with needles leave the body with "tracks." Dealers often lace the cocaine with other drugs and the user may have an allergic reaction to the injection. The allergic reaction may potentially kill the user. A user may also contract Hepatitis or HIV from using shared or unsanitary needles.
Death
Cocaine directly affects the central nervous system, and complications could lead to stroke or death. Smoking crack directly affects the lungs, decreasing lung capacity and could possibly lead to respiratory failure.
Imprisonment
Possession of cocaine is a federal offense in the United States and will lead to serious jail time. A person does not have to sell the drug in order to be arrested. The amount of prison time a person will do only compounds with the actual drug amount that the person is holding.
