Cocaine Addiction - History and Treatment

In the 1980s the United States suffered a cocaine addiction epidemic. Yet, it was not the first epidemic of cocaine addiction in the country. The first epidemic in the U.S. appeared in the early 1900s when cocaine was a legal substance and exalted as a "miracle drug" that could cure many ailments. It was a common ingredient included in many early consumer products. Indeed, consumers embraced it, but not without deleterious effects. Cocaine addiction began to become a problem, especially among the elite who could readily afford the elixirs and tonics containing the cocaine. By 1914, the Harrison Act was passed and cocaine became a federally regulated substance. The Act made cocaine use illegal without a medical prescription. Further, medical prescriptions were heavily regulated and monitored.

Cocaine did not seem to be a problem in the country after the Harrison Act until it began to surface again in the 1960s. In 1970, Congress classified cocaine as a controlled substance, making it illegal for street use but still available to physicians cocaine for medical use and treatment. Essentially, the classification recognized that cocaine could cause addiction and dependency-related problems and was a threat to the general public. By the 1980s street use of cocaine was abundant and cocaine addiction had become a national epidemic. Later, cheaper forms of cocaine known as "crack cocaine" began to emerge, making the drug wide spread and readily available to the public.

Cocaine addiction has serious consequences. An individual addicted to cocaine usually believes he can control the drug in the beginning and not become addicted. Yet, he finds himself losing control at some point during the addiction, causing problems with work, family, and his health. Long term cocaine use can have devastating health consequences, including death.

Advanced drug and alcohol treatment centers are available with modern technology and integrative programs that can address the emotional, physical, psychological, and neurological root cause of the cocaine addiction. New brain scan technologies and neuropsychological tests can determine chemical imbalances in the body and help to develop an individualized treatment plan for each patient based on his unique test results. One-size fits all plans of care are outdated and offer minimal results. For a successful and sustainable recovery from cocaine addiction, an advanced drug and rehab facility devoted to neuroscience technology and integrative care is recommended. If you or someone you know is struggling with a cocaine addiction, seek help today.

The major means of consuming this addictive drug are smoking, injecting and snorting or sniffing, plus crack cocaine and free basing. Snorting is the procedure of breathing in cocaine powder via the nasal membrane where the substance is absorbed into the bloodstream via the nasal tissues. Smoking is the process where the person inhales smoke or cocaine vapor into the lungs and inclusion into the bloodstream is as fast as by injection. In the process of injecting, the person makes use of needle to put the drug directly into the bloodstream.

There are various signs and symptoms of the cocaine addiction and abuse. The first and foremost is the weight loss. Cocaine is a highly addictive substance and has appetite suppressing powers. A drug addict will continuously lose considerable amounts of weight devoid of exercise or diet. If you know someone that may be taking cocaine, and they are losing a large amount of weight, then cocaine addiction might well be the culprit.