Information AboutCocaine |
Trafficking and distribution Organized Criminal gangs operating on a large scale dominate the cocaine trade. Most cocaine is grown and processed in South America , particularly in Colombia and Peru , and smuggled into the United States and Europe , where it is sold at huge markups. Cocaine shipments from South America transported through Mexico or Central America are generally moved over land or by air to staging sites in northern Mexico. The cocaine is then broken down into smaller loads for smuggling across the U.S.–Mexico Border . The primary cocaine importation points in the United States are in Arizona , southern California , southern Florida , and Texas . Typically, land vehicles are driven across the U.S.-Mexico border. Cocaine is also carried in small, concealed, kilogram quantities across the border by couriers known as “ Mules ” (or “burros”), who cross a border either legally, e.g. through a port or airport, or illegally through undesignated points along the border. The drugs may be strapped to the waist or legs or hidden in bags, or hidden in the body. If the mule gets through without being caught, the gangs will reap most of the profits. If he or she is caught however, gangs will sever all links and the mule will usually stand trial for trafficking by him- or herself. Cocaine traffickers from Colombia , and recently Mexico , have also established a labyrinth of Smuggling routes throughout the Caribbean , the Bahama Island chain, and South Florida . They often hire traffickers from Mexico or the Dominican Republic to transport the drug. The traffickers use a variety of smuggling techniques to transfer their drug to U.S. markets. These include airdrops of 500–700 kg in the Bahama Islands or off the coast of Puerto Rico , mid-ocean boat-to-boat transfers of 500–2,000 kg, and the commercial shipment of tonnes of cocaine through the port of Miami . Bulk cargo ships are also used to smuggle cocaine to staging sites in the western Caribbean – Gulf Of Mexico area. These vessels are typically 150–250 foot (50–80 m) coastal freighters that carry an average cocaine load of approximately 2.5 tonnes. Commercial fishing vessels are also used for smuggling operations. In areas with a high volume of recreational traffic, smugglers use the same types of vessels, such as Go-fast Boat s, as those used by the local populations. ‘Black cocaine’ Traffickers have also started using a method whereby a substance such as Iron Thiocyanate , a mixture of Cobalt and Ferric Chloride 15, or a mixture of Charcoal and Iron Filings 16 is added to cocaine hydrochloride to produce “black cocaine.” The cocaine in this substance is not detected by standard chemical tests such as the Becton Dickinson Test kit. The substance was first identified after a seizure in March 1998 in Germany, which was then tracked back to discover 250 lb of black cocaine ready for transport at Bogotá ’s airport. Eradication See Also: coca eradication Coca eradication is a policy strongly promoted by the US government through which it has tried to control the supply of cocaine by eliminating the coca plant from being grown as a Crop . This has involved Aerial Spraying , cut-and-burn strategies, and the dissemination of a fungus designed to destroy coca plants. ADDICTION Cocaine addiction is the obsessive or uncontrollable abuse of cocaine, and can result in physiological damage, lethargy, depression, or a potentially fatal overdose. Many habitual abusers have been diagnosed with a manic condition similar to Amphetamine Psychosis and Schizophrenia , whose symptoms include aggression, severe paranoia, and tactile hallucinations (including the feeling of insects under the skin, or "coke bugs"). Cocaine has positive reinforcement effects, which refers to the effect that certain stimuli have on behavior. Good feelings become associated with the drug, causing a frequent user to take the drug as a response to bad news or mild Depression . This activation strengthens the response that was just made. If the drug was taken by a fast acting route such as injection or inhalation, the response will be the act of taking more cocaine, so the response will be reinforced. Powder cocaine, being a Club Drug is most commonly available in the evening and night hours. Because cocaine is a Stimulant , a user will often drink large amounts of Alcohol during and after usage or smoke Marijuana to dull the effects to help one achieve slumber. These several hours of temporary relief and pleasure will further reinforce the positive response. Other downers such as heroin and various pharmaceuticals are often used for the same purpose, further increasing addiction potential and harmfulness. It is speculated that cocaine's addictive properties stem from its DAT -blocking effects (in particular, increasing the dopaminergic transmission from Ventral Tegmental Area neurons). However, a study has shown that mice with no dopamine transporters still exhibit the rewarding effects of cocaine administration. 17 Later work demonstrated that a combined DAT/SERT knockout eliminated the rewarding effects.18 The rewarding effects of cocaine are influenced by Circadian Rhythms 19, possibly by involving a set of genes termed "clock genes". 20 Treatment Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) shows promising results. Spiritual based Twelve-step Program s such as Cocaine Anonymous (modeled on Alcoholics Anonymous ) have some success combatting this problem. A Cocaine Vaccine is also being tested that may prevent the recipient from feeling the desirable effects of the drug, though a similar effort to develop a Heroin vaccine was abandoned as ineffective in the 1970s . The National Institutes of Health is researching modafinil, a narcolepsy drug and mild stimulant, as a potential cocaine treatment. GVG scans showing the average level of dopamine receptors in six primates' brains. Red is high- and blue is low-concentration of dopamine receptors. The higher the level of dopamine, the fewer receptors there will be.]] Studies have shown that Gamma Vinyl-gamma-aminobutyric Acid (gamma vinyl-GABA, or GVG), a drug normally used to treat Epilepsy , blocks cocaine's action in the Brain s of Primate s. GVG increases the amount of the neurotransmitter GABA in the brain and reduces the level of Dopamine in the region of the brain that is thought to be involved in addiction. In January 2005 the U.S. Food And Drug Administration gave permission for a Phase I Clinical Trial of GVG for the treatment of addiction. Another drug currently tested for anti-addictive properties is the cannabinoid antagonist Rimonabant . GBR 12909 GBR 12909 ( Vanoxerine ) is a Selective Dopamine Uptake Inhibitor . Because of this, it reduces cocaine's effect on the brain, and may help to treat cocaine addiction. Studies have shown that GBR, when given to primates, suppresses cocaine self-administration. Venlafaxine Venlafaxine ( Effexor ), although not a dopamine re-uptake inhibitor, is a potent Serotonin-norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor that has been successfully used to combat the depression caused by cocaine and to a lesser extent, the addiction associated with the drug itself. Venlafaxine has been shown to have significant withdrawal problems itself, and can lead to lifetime use due to these withdrawal effects. A statistically significant number of people prescribed Effexor have committed suicide (2 attempts per 1000 patients, vs 1.56 suicides per 1,000 untreated depressives). Coca tea Coca herbal tea has been used for the treatment of cocaine dependence. In one study, coca tea was used—in addition to counseling—to treat 23 addicted coca-paste smokers in Lima , Peru . Relapses fell from an average of 4.35 times per month before treatment with coca tea to 1.22 during the treatment. Abstinence length increased from an average of 32 days prior to treatment to 217.2 days during treatment. These results suggest that coca tea is an effective method for preventing relapse during treatment for cocaine addiction.21 LEGAL STATUS The production, the distribution and the sale of cocaine products is restricted (and illegal in most contexts) in most countries. See '' Legal Status Of Cocaine '' for more information. USAGE In the United States Overall usage The National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA) reported in 1999 that cocaine was used by 3.7 million Americans, or 1.7 percent of the household population age 12 and older. Estimates of the current number of those who use cocaine regularly (at least once per month) vary, but 1.5 million is a widely accepted figure within the research community. Although cocaine use had not significantly changed over the six years prior to 1999, the number of first-time users went from 574,000 in 1991, to 934,000 in 1998 — an increase of 63%. While these numbers indicated that cocaine is still widely present in the United States, cocaine use was significantly less prevalent than it was during the early 1980s. Cocaine use peaked in 1982 when 10.4 million Americans (5.6 percent of the population) reportedly used the drug. Usage among youth The 1999 Monitoring The Future (MTF) survey found the proportion of American students reporting use of powder cocaine rose during the 1990s. In 1991 , 2.3 percent of eighth-graders stated that they had used cocaine in their lifetime. This figure rose to 4.7 percent in 1999. For the older grades, increases began in 1992 and continued through the beginning of 1999. Between those years, lifetime use of cocaine went from 3.3 percent to 7.7 percent for tenth-graders and from 6.1 percent to 9.8 percent for twelfth-graders. Lifetime use of crack cocaine, according to MTF, also increased among eighth-, tenth-, and twelfth-graders, from an average of 2 percent in 1991 to 3.9 percent in 1999. Perceived risk and disapproval of cocaine and crack use both decreased during the 1990s at all three grade levels. The 1999 NHSDA found the highest rate of monthly cocaine use was for those aged 18–25 at 1.7 percent, an increase from 1.2 percent in 1997. Rates declined between 1996 and 1998 for ages 26–34, while rates slightly increased for the 12–17 and 35+ age groups. Studies also show people are experimenting with cocaine at younger ages. NHSDA found a steady decline in the mean age of first use from 23.6 years in 1992 to 20.6 years in 1998. Availability Cocaine is readily available in all major U.S. metropolitan areas. According to the ''Summer 1998 Pulse Check,'' published by the U.S. Office Of National Drug Control Policy , cocaine use had stabilized across the country, with a few increases reported in San Diego , Bridgeport , Miami , and Boston . In the West, cocaine usage was lower, which was thought to be because some users were switching to Methamphetamine , which was cheaper and provides a longer-lasting high. Numbers of cocaine users are still very large, with a concentration among city-dwelling youth. WORKS CONCERNING COCAINE Books about cocaine
Movies about cocaine The following films feature the use or trade of cocaine as a major plot element
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