SHE’S YOUR COCAINE

Meth, meth, meth. That seems to be all anyone's talking about nowadays (including this publication), so maybe its time to take a look at crystal's wicked stepsister: cocaine. While it might not be in the spotlight much any more, coke has been making a comeback in recent years. Who knows why? Maybe it's 80's nostalgia. Perhaps it was Whitney's suspicious insistence that "crack is whack." You don't think it was just the studio lights that were making her sweat profusely, do you? At any rate, when you're stuck in a snow storm the most important thing is to get your bearings…

What the fuck is cocaine?
Like crystal meth, coke is a stimulant. It comes from South America in the form of white powder derived from the otherwise innocuous coca plant. In leaf form, coca is chewed or drunk in tea - a mild stimulant not unlike caffeine. In fact, in the U.S. several products on the market used to contain cocaine, including Coca Cola (hence the name), before it was classified as a dangerous narcotic and made illegal. So, honestly, what's the big deal?

Coke can be injected, but it is usually snorted in small lines through a straw (or a rolled up Benjamin if you're a fat cat). The effects come on gradually with the peak hitting anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes after use. Using cocaine makes people feel euphoric and energetic, talkative and more mentally alert. People feel a greater sensitivity to the senses of sight, sound and touch. This is basically because coke blocks the re-absorption of the brain chemical dopamine into nerve cells in the brain. This blockage results in an abnormally high (forgive the pun) and continuous stimulation of the dopamine receptors. Cocaine can also be diluted through chemical alteration into a pure crystal form, or "rock," that is euphemistically referred to as crack. When coke is smoked in this form the high comes on almost immediately, and the effects are much more intense.

The big deal is that the effects of coke don't last very long, meaning that you have to take more in order to keep the high going. Over time, you can build up a tolerance so that you have to take more coke more often in order to feel the effects. This can lead to physical and psychological addiction to the drug. Also, as you become more dependent on cocaine in order to feel "normal" you enter into a chronic state of depression.

You might ask: "why spend all that moolah on a drug that's only gonna last for twenty minutes?" Good question. Like most drugs, cocaine makes you feel good. It makes you feel great. You get a swell of confidence. You feel like the king of the world, like you can do anything. After all, coke is a stimulant that fucks with the mood stabilizers in your brain. But it won't be too long before you go from hot shit to hot sweats, and that's not cool.

What can it do to me?
Short-term effects of cocaine are increased heart rate, blood pressure and breathing. This is a normal response to the drug. Side effects of coke can include depression, anxiety, irritability, isolation, tremors, lethargy, fatigue, nightmares, headache, sweating, and muscle and stomach cramps. Sexy, n'est pas?

If you keep it up, cocaine use can be much more damaging. It can lead to incredibly dangerous medical complications, such as chest pain, respiratory failure, strokes, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and heart disease. Frequent users of cocaine have even been known to suffer from seizures and heart attacks. Nothing says, "fuck me" like a cardiac arrest. So very sexy.

Also, and this may seem like a no-brainer, you shouldn't use coke with any other drugs. The most common drug used with cocaine is… alcohol! This is also the most frequent combination associated with drug-related deaths. So, coke + alcohol = heart failure. Simple, remedial math.

What the fuck else should you know about coke?
Like most drugs, cocaine lowers your inhibitions and impairs your judgment. This means that things that you normally wouldn't do suddenly seem like a good idea, including sex. Are you a good boy that normally uses condoms? Good. But you might not while you're on cocaine. Suddenly, sticking his bare cock in your ass doesn't seem like such a big deal. Oops, he came in you? Oh well. But you'll probably be feeling it later on. Who was that guy? Where's he been? Did he have anything? Did I catch anything? Stupid coke. Oh well… I'll just snort another row.

If you're gonna use cocaine, you probably want to have a supply of condoms on you as well. That way, in the heat of the moment, you can at least protect yourself from HIV and other STDs. The coke may make you feel like the king of the world, but a scorching case of herpes or gonorrhea will make you feel like crap. Is it really worth it? That's why it's a good idea to keep the rubbers and lube close at hand. If you're gonna use coke, have a plan to keep yourself covered while you're fucked up. Remember: fuck smart, fuck safe.

For more info on party drugs check out "Drugs In Partyland"

"Oceanic" by Anonymous

I've been doing coke for about 10 years. Yeah, I'm guessing. I really don't know when it started. Is that bad? Maybe. Shouldn't I know when I started? Is not knowing part of the problem? I mean is that one way I avoid the reality of my addiction? Fuck! Did I really just say the "A" word? Yeah, I guess so. Do I mean it? I'm not sure. Actually I'm sure that I'm not addicted, but then why did I say it? I think it's because anyone who doesn't do coke, and probably even some who do, would definitely call me an addict. So why don't I really think I am? Because I don't really like it that much. I'm serious! It's fun for about 30 minutes and then I'm over it. But somehow, over the last 10 years, it's become part of my life. I can't escape it - at least not without ditching some of the best friends I've ever had. The last time I quit was when I moved to Seattle, and it lasted for about a year. It was great for me because it reinforced my belief that I was in control of my use. But maybe that was the problem. I passed the test and so I was free to start again. And I did as soon as I found a connection. Of course that's never hard to do. You eventually meet the right people.

So why do I do it? The best way I can describe it is to say it's like some of my smoker friends describe their habit. They say they only do it when they drink. Well, I only do coke when I drink. So what happens when you drink all the time? Duh! I guess that's the one time I really like it. When I'm drinking - especially when I've had too much - there's nothing like a little coke to make everything better. And I do mean a little bit. The problem is that it always escalates from there. A little becomes a lot. And then a lot of things become problems. Obviously it's not cheap. And I want to be able to sleep. So I either wait it out, or take something to make me sleep. Yes! Coke is a gateway drug to Advil PM! Occasionally me and my friends talk about it and we all agree we need to stop/quit/cut back/do something. But we never do. So where is this going? I don't know, and that scares me. But not enough to do anything about it. At least not yet. But I can't be doing this when I'm forty. Or can I? OH HELL NO! I wish I didn't get such condescending attitudes from my friends that don't do it. Especially when they drink their weekends away. Such hypocrites! I'd appreciate some compassion. Just tell me we should hang out and then we could do something away from the scene. There'd be no coke and no temptation. Did anyone every buy that old 'just say no' horseshit? Then quit trying to sell it like it's new.

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