Symptoms
of Cocaine Use 
A person can introduce cocaine
into the body through these routes: · absorption through the skin after
it is rubbed on mucous tissues · inhaled from smoking, which includes
crack · injected into the vein, which is called mainlining · intranasally,
which means snorting the cocaine through the nose · orally, which is
called chewing
After it is introduced into
the body, cocaine passes readily into the brain. In the brain, it causes a buildup
of dopamine by blocking the normal recycling process. These high levels of dopamine
continuously stimulate nerve cells, causing the euphoria, or high.
The effects of cocaine can
be felt within seconds. Cocaine provides a dramatic high that lasts 3 to 5 minutes
with crack cocaine. The high lasts for up to 30 to 60 minutes when cocaine is
snorted or injected. Afterward, the user feels an intense craving for the drug.
Dependency can develop in
less than 2 weeks. Some research indicates that a psychological dependency may
develop after a single dose of high-potency cocaine. As the person develops
a tolerance to cocaine, higher and higher doses are needed to produce the same
level of euphoria.
- anxiety
- panic
- tin foil
- bloody nose
- increased energy
- talking rapidly
- rapid pulse and respirations
- paranoia
- confusion
- dilated pupils
- hallucinations
- altered motor activities
(tremors, hyperactivity)
- stuffiness and runny
nose
| 
'If I use drugs, I will die'
