What is Cocaine? Cocaine is a powerful stimulant made from the coca plant in South America.  It is an illegal drug; however, it was used in the past as an anesthetic for surgeries and other medical purposes.  Cocaine is sold by such names as coke, blow, rock, or snow and is often mixed with other...Read More

When drugs mutate in their purity and potency, they become a danger to an entire community. The last few years saw this trend rise with devastating results. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, was being found in benzodiazepines and other opioids purchased on the street. Causing a tragic spike in overdose, this mutation of other drugs became...Read More

Cocaine is a central nervous system stimulant and an amphetamine. As a natural substance, cocaine excites the brain and the body with high amounts of activity and energy. Producing large volumes of the neurotransmitter dopamine, cocaine has a highly pleasurable effect on the brain, which the brain quickly takes notice of. Almost immediately after ingesting...Read More

Cocaine and crystal meth are both highly addictive drugs. While cocaine is naturally derived from the coca plant, crystal meth is a synthetic substance, made completely of chemical substances put together in a volatile formula. Both cocaine and crystal meth are stimulant substances as well as central nervous system drugs. Meaning, they are known to...Read More

In the 1980’s, at the height of the “crack” cocaine epidemic in the United States, drug-free school zones were created to deter people from dealing narcotics in and around the area. Such laws were considered to be common sense measures in an effort to combat what was, at the time, the most serious drug related...Read More

Substance use disorder has the power to bring people to despair, affecting them both mentally and physically. Without treatment, many people who find themselves looking up from the bottom will choose a permanent solution to a temporary problem – suicide. The link between substance abuse and taking one’s life is complex; and while the reasons...Read More

In the United States, we begin teaching adolescents about the dangers of mind altering substances at very young age, the hope being that the knowledge will prevent premature experimentation with drugs. Scientists have understood for quite some time that the adolescent brains is at a greater risk of harm due to the fact that they...Read More

Addiction is a complex disease that scientists continue to unravel; the hope being that findings will help reduce addiction rates and develop more effective forms of addiction treatment. It has been argued that environment plays a large role in addiction, and that altering an individual’s surroundings can influence addictive behavior. New research suggests that a...Read More

Efforts to develop more effective methods of cocaine addiction treatments are a major focus in the field of recovery. Recovering from cocaine addiction is extremely difficult; and relapse rates are especially high – even after long periods of being drug free. New research suggests that alterations in our DNA which occur during drug withdrawal could...Read More

The country of Colombia has a long history with cocaine, from the coca fields to production and international distribution. Efforts to curb cocaine production in Colombia have been a major priority for decades here in the United States. While America’s efforts have drastically diminished the presence of the highly addictive drug throughout the states, cocaine...Read More