A 2008 Monitoring the Future Survey showed that 6 percent of high school seniors had used cocaine at some point in their lives, with 3.4 percent of them having used the drug in the month prior to the survey. Fortunately these numbers represent a decline in cocaine abuse; however, steps must be taken to ensure that these numbers continue to decrease. Ideally, no students would use cocaine, and presenting them with the risks associated with the drug is the first step in preventing abuse.
Some high school students may believe that the dangers associated with cocaine will never affect them, but they must know that the risks are real. Sharing with them the following consequences of cocaine use can serve to open their eyes and strongly discourage them from experimenting with cocaine.
Cocaine Use and Heart Disease
Cocaine use has been shown to have a negative impact on cardiovascular health, even in young users. In fact, according to a 2007 study published by Rezkalla and Kloner in Clinical Medicine & Research, the risk of heart attack is highest among younger users, namely those in the age range of 18-45 (Rezkalla & Kloner, 2007).
The study also cites work featured by Isner et al. in a 1986 publication of the New England Journal of Medicine, which showed that even casual, recreational cocaine users could experience heart attacks. Rezkalla and Kloner also note that in addition to this risk of heart attack, cocaine use can also result in chest pain, elevated blood pressure, and cardiomyopathy.
Cocaine has such a negative effect on cardiovascular health because it can result in the progression of coronary artery disease, which is the buildup of plaque in the blood vessels. Cocaine use can also cause platelets to accumulate and clog the blood vessels, thereby reducing the heart’s oxygen supply.
In a 2009 study published in the American Journal of Cardiovascular Drugs, Phillips et al. address the fact that cocaine leads to a constriction of the blood vessels, consequently resulting in high blood pressure and decreased blood flow. Such a situation is complicated by the fact that cocaine also raises the heart rate and necessitates an increase in oxygen demand.
Cocaine and Lung Damage
When smoked, crack cocaine damages the lungs, compromising their functionality. According to a 2008 study published by Story, Bothamley, and Hayward in Emerging Infectious Diseases, this lung damage can result in severe coughing, shortness of breath, airway injury, pulmonary edema, and even a worsening of asthmatic symptoms.
The study also found that being smear-positive for tuberculosis was 2.4 times more likely among crack cocaine users than among those who didn’t use drugs. Shockingly, most tuberculosis patients who used crack cocaine were relatively young, in the age range of 20-49 years.
Cocaine and Brain Function
Cocaine has also been proven to have a negative impact on cognitive ability. Dr. Terry Johnson, who has conducted studies regarding the matter, has asserted that “findings suggest that extended cocaine self-administration changes the brain in a way that impairs the ability to be attentive” (as cited in Whitten, 2009).
Cocaine use also has a negative impact on memory, in addition to attention. In a 2005 study published by Pace-Schott et al. in the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, researchers found that two weeks following cocaine use, participants performed worse on tasks involving recognition memory.
With negative impacts on cognitive functioning, cocaine presents undeniable risks to young users. Neurological risks are augmented by the devastating impact that cocaine has on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, making its use highly formidable. Young users should be warned that the unpleasant effects of cocaine use far outweigh the pleasurable effects of the high.
References:
National Institute of Drug Abuse, “InfoFacts: Cocaine,” (accessed July 16, 2010).
Pace-Schott, E., Stickgold, R., Mozur, A., Wigren, P., Ward, A., Hart, C., Walker, M., Edgar, C., & Hobson, J. (2005). Cognitive performance by humans during a smoked cocaine binge-abstinence cycle. American Journal of Drug & Alcohol Abuse, 31(4), 571-591.
Phillips, K., Luk, A., Soor, G., Abraham, J., Leong, S., & Butany, J. (2009). Cocaine cardiotoxicity: A review of the pathophysiology, pathology, and treatment options. American Journal of Cardiovascular Drugs, 9(3), 177-196.
Rezkalla, S., & Kloner, R. (2007). Cocaine-induced acute myocardial infarction. Clinical Medicine Research, 5(3), 172-176.
Story, A., Bothamley, G., & Hayward, A. (2008). Crack cocaine and infectious tuberculosis. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 14(9), 1466-1469.
Whitten, L. (2009). Extended cocaine exposure impairs cognitive function in rats. Nida Notes, 22(5), 10-12.
Jennifer Long - Jennifer Long holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from the Ohio State University and has completed research projects in the field.
