Cocaine

Blog Post #8 - November 25, 2009

Cocaine use among teens peaked during the 1980's when cocaine use in general was rampant. Although the usage statistics since then have decreased, cocaine continues to be a serious issue. It is a substance whose risk for addiction is much higher than that of the other, more commonly abused drugs of the teenage population, like marijuana or ecstasy. Teens may feel pressure to experiment with cocaine, but may not understand that they fall into the category of being most likely to fall into its dangers and associated risks of addiction.

Today, cocaine use in teens is pretty low relative to other drugs, including alcohol, marijuana, other opiates, stimulants, tranquilizers, hallucinogens, and sedatives. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in 2008, approximately 4.4% of high school seniors admitted to using cocaine in the last 30 days. However, a study done through the Harvard Medical School found that teens are more likely to become addicted to cocaine and to relapse than adults, due to their developing brains. Their increased vulnerability has to do with the frontal cortex in adolescent brains where reward pathways are more sensitive to feeling strong rewards that are difficult to later distinguish.

Cocaine use effects the central nervous system and absorption of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is responsible for pleasure and movement, and is released in the reward system of the brain. It is a major part of the high felt with cocaine consumption. Cocaine use among teens is most commonly snorted, rather than injected or smoked. The high from snorting powder cocaine typically lasts for 15 to 30 minutes.

Despite the high risk of addiction, teens continue to seek the euphoric effects of a cocaine high. The mental clarity, hyperstimulation, and reduced fatigue that accompany that high are enticing to anyone, however, what many do not consider are the potential for negative effects, such as feelings of anxiety, restlessness, and irritability. Additionally, snorting cocaine over a prolonged period can seriously damage the mucous membrane in the nose and even cause the nasal septum to collapse.

In 2008, the Bureau of Justice Statistics found that 7.2% of high school seniors reported having ever used cocaine. Regardless of this statistic being dramatically lower than alcohol or marijuana use, cocaine abuse is much more serious because of the heightened risk of addiction. Because the teen years are a period of experimentation when young people begin to emancipate themselves from parents and enter the party scene, this introduces dangerous substances into their lives. It is crucially important to educate young people not only that drugs are bad, but about their long term ramifications and their impact of addiction.

Sources:
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/dcf/du.htm
http://alcoholism.about.com/cs/coke/l/blnida02.htm
http://teenadvice.about.com/od/drugsalcohol/tp/cocaine_facts.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080421133021.htm