Cocaine _______________________________________________
Cocaine comes from the leaves of the South American coca plant. In its purest form, it is a white crystalline powder that is extracted from the coca leaves. Raw cocaine must be put through several chemical processes before the extract of the coca leaves is transformed into its characteristic white powder form. Coca leaves (not to be confused with cocoa) of South America have been chewed for thousands of years to extract the stimulant. Once viewed as a miracle substance, cocaine was used as a tonic, an anesthetic and an ingredient in Coca-Cola. However, cocaine was soon recognized as an extremely addictive substance and in 1914 its use was outlawed. Cocaine is a powerfully antidepressant that blocks pain sensation and stimulates the central nervous system. Its short term effects result in constriction of peripheral blood vessels, pupil dilation and increased blood pressure and heart rate. It also interferes with the reabsorption process of dopamine, a chemical messenger associated with pleasure and movement. The symptoms that users feel are an initial “rush” or high. You remember what a “rush” is…that multiple orgasm thingie. Actually, the “rush” occurs when the drug stimulates the brain, more specifically the pleasure centers of the hypothalamus. A cocaine high was once described to me as blasting off the ground to 20,000 feet, staying there for three or four minutes and gradually descending back to earth. After the user gets back to earth or comes down off the high, he generally feels somewhat dispirited and at times melancholic. This gloominess many times motivates the user to get high again. Cocaine is also a strong appetite suppresser and can cause extreme anorexia. Many cocaine users experience significant weight losses due to both the anorexic and stimulating effects of the drug. Cocaine can be snorted, sniffed, swallowed, injected, or smoked. Habitual snorting can result in serious damage to the nasal mucous membranes. As cocaine abuse continues and tolerance builds up, users will begin to experience long term cocaine effects. Cocaine is a highly addictive drug that can lead to many medical complications such as heart disease, respiratory failure, strokes, seizures and various gastrointestinal complications. Other physical effects are convulsions, nausea, blurred vision, chest pain, fever, muscle spasms and coma. The pure chemical cocaine hydrochloride has been an abused stimulant for over 100 years and the coca leaves, the source of cocaine, has been abused and ingested for thousands of years. Actually, the use of cocaine is somewhat limited in the United States due to the high cost of the drug and its availability. One hit of pure cocaine can cost as much as $100. Pure cocaine is called “the rich man’s drug.”
- Freebase Cocaine As mentioned, cocaine can be inhaled by snorting it through the nose. It can also be heated into a liquid and its fumes inhaled through a pipe. This method is called freebasing. With freebasing, the cocaine reaches the brain within seconds, causing a sudden and intense high. Freebase is the most powerful form of cocaine. It is produced by removing the hydrochloride salt by mixing it with volatile chemicals like ether. The result is a more pure form of cocaine that is usually smoked through a water pipe or simply heated on a piece of foil with a lighter and the resulting smoke inhaled. The freebase rush is quick, intense and over just as quickly, which makes it highly addictive and more expansive than powder cocaine or crack. CRITICAL POINT: Freebased cocaine is the activity of smoking a specially prepared form of the drug cocaine. The crushed crack cocaine is usually placed in a spoon or a beaker where it is heated by a flame. The user inhales the fumes from the burning cocaine and receives their high from this. The process of freebasing is accomplished by mixing 1 gram of cocaine with 10ml of water in a small vial. Then, you slowly add drops of ammonia to the solution until a white milky substance forms. You stop adding the ammonia when additional drops no longer result in precipitation. After that, you add 5 ml of ethyl ether, close the vial and shake it. The freebase will dissolve in the ether. Finally, you siphon off the ether with a pipette…ether and water do not mix well…then, slowly drip it on a plate. As the ether evaporates, white crystals will form. This is the freebase. After, the crystals will be crushed and put under a heat lamp for at least 24 hours to let the solvent evaporate. It might be noted that ethyl ether is extremely flammable. In the presence of air, it can form peroxides that will spontaneously explode. Also, ether can crawl from an open bottle and trigger an explosion many feet away. This is how Richard Pryor ignited himself. Pryor, who seems to be able to find humor in even the most drastic situations, said that when he set himself ablaze he ran so fast down the street that he broke the sound barrier and in the process crushed the world land speed record. Since Richard Pryor’s near death experience, freebasing has lost a lot of its popularity. In truth, cocaine use among teens today is not nearly as accepted as it was in years past. This lack of acceptance has resulted in statistics that show a trend of reduced cocaine use among teens. This trend can be attributed to several key factors. In the past, cocaine was expensive and was portrayed as being the drug of choice of the rich and famous. However, with the introduction of lower cost crack, cocaine became less expensive and readily available. The production and importation of cocaine from the cartels in Central and South America also
created a ready supply, thereby lowering the price even more and increasing availability. CRITICAL POINT: Freebase is the most powerful form of cocaine. The street names for cocaine are: Coke, C, Toot, Flake, Snow, Nose Candy, Flake Blow, Big C, Lady, Snowbirds and White.
- Crack Cocaine A form of cocaine called crack is processed to remove cutting agents and other nonessential chemicals leaving a substance that is roughly 90 percent pure. Crack cocaine magnifies the effects of cocaine and is considered to be more highly addictive than snorted cocaine. Crack causes an abrupt increase in heart rate and blood pressure that can lead to heart attacks and strokes in young people with no history of vascular disease. Crack comes in the form of small lumps or shavings. The term crack refers to the crackling sound made when the mixture is smoked. Smoking crack is very dangerous since it produces the same effects as freebasing cocaine. Crack has become a problem for many Americans because of the low cost of the drug and it is easily transported in small vials, folding paper or tinfoil. Mixing two parts of cocaine HCL with one part of baking soda in 20ml of water produces crack. The solution is gently heated until white precipitation forms. Once precipitation stops, heating is discontinued. Then, the precipitation is filtered, washed and dried for 24 hours under a heat lamp. The product is not as pure as freebased crack. There is usually a lot of baking soda left over, but the procedure is safer than freebasing. When smoked, crack provides an intense high for approximately 20 minutes and is followed immediately by depression, edginess and a craving for more of the drug. CRITICAL POINT: Crack is a lower purity form of free-base cocaine and contains sodium bicarbonate as impurity. Freebase and crack are often administered by smoking. The origin of the name is from the crackling sound (hence the onomatopoeic “crack”) produced when cocaine containing impurities are heated Crack, which is not destroyed by heat, can be smoked. Also, it delivers a large quantity of cocaine to the vascular bed of the lung, producing an effect similar to that of intravenous injection. The smoking of crack cocaine has become a significant substance abuse problem. The friend I mentioned earlier, who described the cocaine high as going 20,000 feet, depicts a crack high as blasting off the ground to 40,000 feet, staying there for ten to fifteen minutes and then, falling right back to earth. The intense high in the limited time period keeps crack users coming back. Although crack is reasonably inexpensive ($10 to $20 for two or three “hits”), the need to continually achieve the high has
resulted in drug habits costing hundreds of dollars per day. Rock cocaine is another form of crack. It comes in small lumps and makes a crackling sound when heated. It is used the same way that crack is used. CRITICAL POINT: Polydrug use…use of more than one drug…is common among substance abusers. When people consume two or more psychoactive drugs together, such as cocaine and alcohol, they compound the danger each drug poses and unknowingly perform a complex chemical experiment within their bodies. Researchers have found that the human liver combines cocaine and alcohol to produce a third substance, cocaethylene, which intensifies cocaine’s euphoric effects. Cocaethylene is associated with a greater risk of sudden death than cocaine alone Research has revealed that none of the aforementioned cocaine products enhance performance on the job, in sports, at school or sexually. At one time, cocaine was considered to be an aphrodisiac, but recent studies have actually shown it to be an anaphrodisiac…a loss of sexual interest. The long term effect of cocaine products can lead to loss of concentration, irritability, loss of memory, paranoia, a loss of sexual interest, loss of energy and anxiety…did I mention a loss of sexual interest?
Ephedrine _______________________________________________
Ephedrine is a powerful thermogenic drug that belongs to the group of sympathomimetics. It is not a hormone compound. Ephedrine alkaloids are amphetamine like compounds used in prescription drugs such as decongestants. The drug has been found to have potentially lethal stimulant effects on the central nervous system and heart. Up until 2004, ephedrine was sold in health food stores under a variety of brand names. Ephedrine is one of the most dangerous of the dietary supplements. Even though the FDA has taken the drug off the market, ephedrine is still widely used illegally for weight loss, as an energy booster and to enhance athletic performance. CRITICAL POINT: Ephedrine is a powerful thermogenic drug that belongs to the group of sympathomimetics. One of the primary characteristics of ephedrine is its ability to burn fat. This is achieved in two ways. First of all, because it is a thermogenic drug, it increases the amount of calories that the body burns. Second, ephedrine stimulates the thyroid gland, which in turn increases the rate of metabolism, therefore burning more calories. The consequence of these two factors can result in significant weight loss and a decrease in body fat. Taking both methylzanthine caffeine and aspirin with ephedrine can significantly increase this fat burning effect. Scientific research has shown that the combination of 25mg ephedrine, 200mg caffeine and 300mg aspirin is ideal for producing a synergetic effect that will significantly enhance fat burning. It should be noted that such a stack could be extremely dangerous. CRITICAL POINT: Taking both methylzanthine caffeine and aspirin with ephedrine can significantly increase this fat burning effect. It should be noted that such a stack could be extremely dangerous.
As indicated previously, ephedrine alone can be extremely hazardous. A number of people have died while under the influence of ephedrine, including 23 year old Steve Bechler. In actuality, it was the Bechler case in particular that led the FDA to ban the product. Bechler was a professional baseball player who was using ephedrine to lose weight. He died on the field after doing wind sprints. His autopsy report revealed that he died from “multiple organ failure due to heat stroke.” Ephedrine was found in his body and was most likely a contributing factor in his death. In truth, there were many deaths associated with ephedrine use before Bechler. Besides the fat burning advantage of using ephedrine, athletes often use it as a “training booster.” Since it has a mild amphetamine like effect on the central nervous system, it can improve concentration, vigilance and attention levels. It can also ward off fatigue. When athletes use it for this purpose, they generally take 25-50 mg ephedrine approximately one hour before a workout. According to empirical evidence, the athlete feels an immediate boost in energy which during a workout can manifest itself in a 5-10% increase in strength. This effect, like the fat burning effect, can be improved by taking caffeine and aspirin in conjunction with ephedrine. Side effects can manifest themselves in the form of more rapid heartbeat, insomnia, tremors, headaches, dizziness, high blood pressure and lack of appetite. Ephedrine can be extremely dangerous if individuals who take it are obese, have high blood pressure, severe hyper function of the thyroid gland or irregular heart rhythm. In actual fact, most deaths contributed to ephedrine use are associated with these high risk groups.
Methcathinone _______________________________________________
Methcathinone is a central nervous system stimulant which is similar to ephedrine. It is a synthetic drug, which was formulated by a Michigan College student in his chemistry class. The drug is easily produced and requires absolutely no sophisticated lab equipment to manufacture. You could easily produce it in the safety of your own dorm room…DON’T DO THAT! If you really want to though, it contains over the counter asthma and cold medications, paint solvent, Drano, automobile battery acid and paint thinner. I am just not going to tell you the ratio of the aforementioned ingredients. Think about it for a second…do you really want to cram paint solvent, Drano, automobile battery acid and paint thinner down your pie hole? It is a highly addictive drug similar to crack and cocaine. It can be injected, smoked or snorted. The physical effects are similar to amphetamines and cocaine use…euphoria, increased alertness, anxiety, hallucinations, delusions and paranoia. It can also cause anorexia and insomnia. The long term effects are also similar to
amphetamine and cocaine use, which include anxiety, depression, weight loss, dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, stomach pains, nose bleeds and eventual destruction of nasal tissue. If it is used extensively, it can cause permanent brain damage and eventual death. Unlike most stimulants, it can cause both physical and psychological dependence. Common slang names for Methcathinone: Jeff, Bathtabspeed, Speed, Mulka, The C, Wild Cat, Looderstar, and Cadillac Express.
Caffeine _______________________________________
Caffeine is the most widely used stimulate in the world or anywhere else for that matter. Just about everyone, from small children right up to the major geriatric groups, in America uses caffeine. Beverages and foods that contain caffeine are consumed daily and often. The average daily intake of caffeine in America is 200mg, which is equivalent to two cups of coffee. Thirty percent of Americans consume more than 500 mg daily…that’s equivalent to five cups of coffee. Caffeine is usually found in coffee, soft drinks, tea, chocolate and a variety of other over the counter medications. Caffeine is a stimulant that belongs to the xanthine drug family. When caffeine is in its natural state, it tastes bitter. That is why a lot people use sugar and milk in their coffee. An individual who takes this drug may experience effects that include alertness, heightened anxiety and body tension. Interestingly, it is the number one variable that correlates with success in America. In reality, there seems to be a linear relationship between caffeine use and success…the more you use it, the more successful you become. I don’t know about anyone else, but give me a couple of hits of Java and watch me gooooooooo. Although age and body size may make a difference in the effect, if an individual consumes moderate doses of caffeine (the equivalence of two or three cups of coffee a day), it is relatively safe at least for most users. However, frequent use of high doses can cause both psychological and physical addiction, which is known as caffeinism. About ten percent of the American population suffers from caffeinism. You can instantly tell who they are. They have a lot of money. You know, they are the successful ones. These individuals may experience effects such as coffee nerves, disorientation, depression, severe headaches and insomnia while they are using the drug. High doses of caffeine can also raise an individual’s blood pressure and increase his risk for high blood pressure and heart disease. CRITICAL POINT: Frequent use of high doses caffeine can cause both psychological and physical addiction, which is known as caffeinism. If an individual who has caffeinism tries to stop consuming caffeine, he may experience effects such as drowsiness, nausea and vomiting, irritability, depression and headaches.
Chocolate _______________________________________________
Chocolate also comes from the xanthine drug family. Chocolate tastes so good it’s sinful…at least that is what I have been told. Whether you realize it or not, chocolate is a fairly powerful psychoactive food. It is made from the seeds of the tropical cacao tree Theobroma. The 17th century Swedish naturalist Linnaeus named the cacao tree. The Greek term theobroma means literally “food of the gods.” Chocolate has also been called the “food of the devil.” The theological basis for the incompatible slang terms is obscure. Today, chocolates of every description are legal, unscheduled and readily available over the counter. Some 50% of women reportedly claim to prefer chocolate to sex. WOW! I knew it was good, but better than sex???????? There are over 300 different constituent compounds which have been identified in chocolate. Obviously, chocolate is a lot more than a brief sugar high. Amazingly, it is still not understood how this cocktail of psychochemical drugs affects the central nervous system. Of course, I can give you my best guess. Chocolate contains small quantities of anandamide…an endogenous cannabinoid found in the brain…caffeine, trypotphan essential amino acid and sugar. All of these substances are most likely responsible for the euphoric feeling that chocolate delivers. Also, like other sweet foods, consumption of chocolate triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s endogenous opiates. Enhanced endorphin release reduces the chocolate eater’s sensitivity to pain. Endorphins are thought to be responsible for the warm inner glow induced in susceptible chocaholics. Fifteen percent of men and around 40% of women admit to chocolate cravings. Cravings are usually most intense in the late afternoon and early evening…this is probably because this is the time of day when people are looking for a little boost. It is believed that both sugar and cocoa butterfat contribute to the high hedonist ratings and craving of chocolate. Still, it is most likely that the aforementioned constituents in chocolate are also important. Otherwise, we would equally desire white chocolate, which only contains sugar and butterfat. The acute monthly cravings for chocolate that pre-menstrual women many times experience may be partly explained by chocolates rich magnesium. Research has consistently revealed that magnesium deficiency exacerbates PMS. Here is something that may really surprise you. Even though chocolate is loaded with sugar and fat, research has revealed that consuming approximately 3 ounces of chocolate once a day can actually increase longevity. This is referred to in the research literature as the chocolate paradox. Scientific studies have revealed that chocolate confectionery, which contains large amounts of fat and sugar, also contains cardiovascular protective polyphenols that may even provide a stronger effect than those found in red wine. Remember what I said about red wine when we were discussing alcohol? Let me refresh your memory. Alcohol contains cardiovascular protective antioxidant compounds that decrease blood viscosity, which in turn decreases the propensity for strokes and heart attacks.
CRITICAL POINT: Even though chocolate is loaded with sugar and fat, research has revealed that consuming approximately 3 ounces of chocolate once a day can actually increase longevity. This is referred to in the research literature as the “chocolate paradox.” Well, chocolate does basically the same thing. For instance, in a study of healthy adults, Robert Keen, a renowned cardiologist, found that platelet activation was inhibited two to six hours after consuming a chocolate beverage, suggesting that a long term moderate intake of chocolate may reduce the risk of heart disease. With the marvelous health benefits and the euphoric feelings that can be derived from eating chocolate, it is no wonder that Montezuma was said to consume over 50 cups of chocolate beverages daily. It might also be noted that chocolate houses in Europe at one time competed in popularity with coffee houses and pubs. One researcher jokingly theorized that the positive effect of chocolate on a person’s happiness and longevity was so great that “individuals should add M & M’s to their vitamin pill piles.” CRITICAL POINT: Not only is chocolate habituating, it is also physically addictive, and if you eat enough of it you can overdose. Not so fast! There is a dark side to chocolate also. Not only is chocolate habituating, it is also physically addictive, and believe it or not, if you get enough of it you can overdose …what a way to go! It is also extremely high in calories. Consequently, it can lead to weight gain. In fact, research indicates that most individuals who eat chocolate on a daily basis are significantly overweight. There also seems to be a psychological rebound effect to eating chocolate. Most people experience euphoria while eating chocolate, but that feeling is extremely temporary and is usually followed by feelings of guilt and melancholy. What the heck, nothing is all good.