COCAINE: Cocaine has been around since the beginning of time, it is still used medicinally in surgery, due to it's numbing affect. It can be snorted, smoked, or taken intervenously, with the smoking having the worst reprocussions. At one time this was thought to be the rich mans drug.....not so today. It has serious affects to the entire body system, affects the user psychologically, emotionally and physically. A person can become addicted with the very first usage, or maybe even die that first time. Remember, what I use tonight, might not be enough for me tomorrow night or maybe too much. The money an addict spends to support their habit is unreal.....this lover takes control quickly.....the families suffer, jobs are lost, relationships go sour, and a person may even resort to stealing or illicit sex to support their usage. When a person uses Cocaine, it robs their brain of all the Dopamine that is there.....and does not allow it to return. Therefore in able to feel good.....there has to be more Cocaine, and the cycles is started. NIDA has recently discovered that for the first ten days in treatment, there is no pleasure activity in the brain, after thirty days there may be minimal activity and it is not restored fully until the person reaches one hundred days.

So we are now beginning to understand why it is so difficult for the Cocaine user to lose the cravings and intensity of this drug, where the anhedonia really comes from. (the inability to feel pleasure). This addict like all others needs a strong, sound support system that is understanding and knowledgeable of the disease concept.

HEROIN: This drug is making a strong comeback in the communities, the affect of this drug for the addict is great, until they become addicted. Then it is too late, all everyone ever tells about this drug is how good it feels, they never discuss or volunteer the pain of coming off of it. Chiva is the latest form of this drug on the market today, it can be snorted, is very addictive and one can become addicted almost with the first use. Teens in the Dallas area, and Plano area's are experiencing epidemic addiction problems, and it if not already in this area, will be here soon.

MARIJUANA: Cannabis Sativa Tetrohydrocannabinal Delta 9 THC as it is technically known is very addictive today, and very damaging. It focus's on the short term memory and the fat cells. This is the only drug that has to wear out of our system, vs others passing it through the urine. Years ago, less than twenty maybe, MJ had a THC content of .02%, today that ranges from.10% to .28%.....very potent and addicting. Long term damage results in loss of learning ability, lung cancer, hormonal balance and much more. One little J(joint) is equivelent to a full pack od cigarettes as to tar content, and this THC can stay in one's system indefinately, depending on the usage. Almost all teens today are or have tried smoking Marijuana, some to the point of self destruction. Is this drug safe? Should it be legalized? In my opinion.....No Way! It is too dangerous and still carries a strong myth that it is a harmless drug.

RX DRUGS: (Prescription) Any drug that is a pain killer, or has mood altering tendencies, a person can become addicted to. One problem people have is that more is better. All labels state the required dosage to take for a certain period of time.....know why? It's simple....because that's all that works. The average person reads a label ...it says take two capsules every four hours....Two may or may not make the mood change, but then we always seem to feel if that did what it did, next time I will take more. First thing you know you end having to have them to function.....that is addiction. Read labels and follow them....that's all there is too it.

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this page updated 03/25/2004