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What Parents Need to Know About Cocaine Use

Cocaine isn't usually the first drug that parents think of when they are concerned about their teen's drug abuse. However, the NIDA-funded 2007 Monitoring the Future Study showed that in 2006, more than 2 percent of 8th graders, 3 percent of 10th graders, and 5 percent of 12th graders had abused cocaine in some form and more than 1 percent of 8th graders, 1 percent of 10th graders, and almost 2 percent of 12th graders had tried crack at least once during the previous year.

If your teenager has used alcohol or marijuana, then they are more likely to try cocaine if they haven't already. If you are concerned that your teen has a problem with cocaine addiction or abuse, The Canyon can help you by treating their drug addiction problems before it's too late.

Cocaine: The Basics

Cocaine is a white powder sold in very small bags. It's rare to find the drug in large amounts in the possession of a teenager, so be on the lookout for bags as small as a postage stamp or as large as two inches by two inches. The powder is so fine that even if the bag is empty, you should still be able to see traces of the drug.

Highly addictive, the drug is most often ingested by inhaling it in lines or smaller amounts called "bumps." Some smoke it in the form of crack or by freebasing. It may also be ingested intravenously, so watch for paraphernalia such as rolled up dollar bills, small pieces of a drinking straw, glass pipes and needles. Credit cards, licenses and keys are also often used in a pinch to divide up the cocaine or to ingest the smaller "bumps."

No matter how it is ingested, cocaine can kill with just one use. It can also cause seizures, strokes and paranoid psychosis. It is a rapidly acting drug and a single hit takes effect almost instantly. Teenagers who are not used to the drug can easily overdose or experience "bad trips" in which they hurt themselves or end up in dangerous and violent situations. Additionally, using needles and sharing other paraphernalia can lead to the transmission of diseases including HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C.

Physical Effects of Cocaine Use and Abuse

Physically, the effects of cocaine use and abuse are extreme and powerful. The blood vessels constrict and the pupils dilate. Body temperature, blood pressure and heart rate increase putting the user at risk of stroke. The first time cocaine is used-if the user doesn't overdose-is the most pleasurable, an experience that will never be replicated no matter how much or how often the drug is ingested. Instead, a tolerance to the drug will develop with repeated exposure and the user will feel irritable and anxious, unable to sleep or eat and restless to the point of insomnia and paranoia, feelings that persist even after the drug has worn off.

The psychological effects of paranoia and aggression that accompany cocaine use can cause further problems for your teen, exacerbating any existing physical condition and creating new ones. The heights of aggression are counterbalanced by devastating depression in between uses, bouts that have been linked to suicidal behavior and may induce the user to use more of the drug in an effort to ward off these feelings.

In the long term, use of cocaine can result in permanent damage to the lungs, mucous membrane in the nose and the nasal septum. Consistent use also results in respiratory arrest, followed by coma and/or death. Mixing cocaine with other drugs, especially alcohol, can cause even more problems for teens as the two create a third substance in the liver called cocaethylene, which increases the euphoric effects of cocaine as well as the chance of sudden death.

Get Cocaine Addiction Treatment for Your Teenager at The Canyon

If you think that your teen is using cocaine or mixing it with alcohol or marijuana, now is the time to get them the help they need. Waiting will only ensure that the problem worsens before it gets better. Don't take that chance. If you need help setting up an intervention for your teenager, The Canyon provides professional interventionists to assist you and escort your child to drug rehab. Contact us today for more information at .

Articles on Teen Drug Rehab

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• What Parents Should Know About Methamphetamine Use
• What Parents Need to Know About Cocaine Use
• Drug and Alcohol Abuse Effects on Teens
• How to Ask Your Teens About Partying and Drugs
• What Parents Should Know About Ecstasy Use
• What Parents Should Know About College Binge Drinking
• Drug Abuse and Depression in Teens
• What Parents Should Know About Opiate Use
• What Parents Should Know About Alcohol Use
• What Parents Need to Know About Club Drugs
• Teenagers Who Need Drug Treatment
• Teens Entering Drug Treatment
• Does Your Teen Need to be Drug Tested?
• What Parents Should Know About Heroin Use
• What Parents Should Know About Prescription Drug Use
• Drug Addiction Interventions for Teens
• California Teen Drug Rehab
• How to Get Your Teen Into Drug Rehab
• Beverly Hills Teen Drug Rehab
• Teen Drug Use Stats
• Positive and Negative Trends In Teen Drug Use
• Drug Education Meets Reality TV
• An Ounce of Prevention
• Predisposed Kids
• Accentuate The Positive