COCAINE IN THE SCHOOLS? COME AGAIN?

Dear Ask the Youth Commission:

My daughter and I have a very open relationship. I am honest with her
and she is honest with me, which has created a strong sense of trust.

However, she just started the ninth grade, which means a lot of new
experiences and change, including more exposure and access to drugs
and alcohol.

In our latest conversation, I asked her how kids even go about
obtaining drugs and her response was, "What kind? I mean there are
different dealers you would go to for pot, coke or whatever." I was
flabbergasted, not because there are dealers in the high school, but
because they are actually selling and kids are buying cocaine.

My shock increased as my daughter told me more of what she knows about cocaine.

Can it be true? Is cocaine really that popular with teenagers?

If so, what do I need to know to help give my daughter the whole
truth and not just what she sees at school? Concerned Caretaker Dear
Concerned Caretaker, At a time when so much emphasis seems to be
placed on understanding and preventing the latest drug trend
(ecstasy, methamphetamine, over-the-counter drug, etc.) it is easy to
lose sight of older substances like cocaine that have been abused for
centuries.

In truth, cocaine has never really gone out of favor entirely; it
just rides a wave of popularity. Right now we are witnessing a surge
in the tide. According to the National Household Survey on Drug
Abuse, the past 15 years show a steady increase in the use of cocaine
amongst children age 12 to 17, from 0.7 percent in 1991 to 2.4
percent in 2004. In addition, the 2005 Monitoring the Future Survey
on teens' attitudes and recent drug use found that 2.4 percent of
eighth-graders, 2.5 percent of 10th-graders, and 3.5 percent of
12th-graders reported using crack in their lifetime.

Our best defense against increasing these already staggering
statistics is to continue what you have already been doing: have
informed conversations with your kids about cocaine.

If you can successfully satisfy their curiosity about cocaine they
may be less tempted to experiment themselves. What is it? Cocaine,
otherwise known as coke, C, snow, flake or blow, is derived from the
coca plant found in South America. The leaves of the plant can be
chewed; the chemical formcocaine hydrochloride is a powder that can
be snorted or injected (mainlined) or the powder can be mixed with
water, baking soda or ammonia to form freebase or crack, which can be
smoked or freebased.

The powder form of cocaine is rarely found in its pure form on the street.

Instead, it is mixed with cornstarch, talcum powder, confectionery
sugar and even other drugs such as procaine (an anesthetic) and
amphetamines. Crack is often combined with heroin to form a
speedball, which alters the type of high that the user receives. What
does it do? Both crack and cocaine produce a short-lived intense
period of euphoria, followed by equally intense feelings of
depression, agitation and a desire for more of the drug. The
difference between the two is that crack produces a high in less than
10 seconds by injecting it into the user's bloodstream immediately or
inhaling it through the lungs, whereas cocaine generally has to pass
through the mucous membranes of the user's nose, reach the
bloodstream, and then produce its effect.

Crack is also cheap to produce and buy, therefore widening its
availability and usage.

The faster the high is felt, the shorter it will last; therefore,
crack produces a quick but short-lived high, while cocaine produces a
slower but longer high. Researchers believe that this intense high is
caused becausecocaine hydrochloride (a salt) interferes with the
regular cycling of dopamine (a neurohormone responsible for pleasure)
across the synapses of neurons in the brain.

Cocaine causes a buildup of dopamine, which when released,
overstimulates the receiving neurons, causing feelings of euphoria.

Cocaine in all of its forms is an incredibly addictive drug. After
even just one use, researchers have found that users need more to
produce the same pleasurable effects.

On the flip side of tolerance is an increased sensitivity to the
drug's effects, which may account for deaths that occur after
relatively low doses.

Cocaine is lethal when mixed with alcohol: The largest number of
drug-related deaths was associated with this combination of
substances. Short-term effects include: Increased energy Decreased
appetite Mental alertness Increased heart rate and blood pressure
Constricted blood vessels Increased temperature Tremors Muscle
twitches Vertigo Dilated pupils Long-term effects include: Paranoia,
auditory hallucinations Intravenously carried diseases Irritability,
restlessness Headaches Heart attacks, stroke, seizure Chest pains
Respiratory failure Abdominal pain, nausea Malnourishment Bowel
gangrene Signs and symptoms of cocaine/crack use: Red, bloodshot eyes
A runny nose or frequent sniffing A change in eating or sleeping
patterns A change in group of friends A change in school grades or
behavior Acting withdrawn or depressed Tired or careless about
personal appearance Lying about whereabouts Losing interest in
school, family or activities he/she used to enjoy Physical evidence
of cocaine paraphernalia Frequently needing money Teen substance
abuse risk factors: Depression Family conflict Inconsistent,
excessively severe discipline High perception of use by peers
Impulsiveness Psychological distress High sensation seeking Low-risk
perception Poorly defined and communicated rules and expectations
against drug use Insufficient parental supervision and/or monitoring
It isnever too early to take action by talking to your teen about
their peers' drug use, their perceptions of drugs, and their own
thoughts and feelings toward drugs and alcohol. Treatment and
Prevention Just as cocaine itself can take a variety of forms, so too
does the treatment of cocaine addiction.

There is no medication to treat cocaine addiction, although some
drugs are currently being tested for effectiveness. Generally,
treatment consists of involvement in a residential or outpatient
program where clients are involved in individual and group therapy.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy and contingency management (point-based
system that rewards individuals for positive behavior) are the most
frequently and successfully used approaches. Ultimately, a treatment
should be chosen according to the personality of the user. However,
the best treatment for cocaine abuse continues to be prevention
through open and informed conversations, education, and intervention
from parents and other authority figures.

Listed below are other resources to check out for information on drug
abuse, prevention, and rehabilitation.
# drugabuse.gov - The National Institute on Drug Abuse Web site
complete with statistics, drug facts, and links to other resources.

# parentingteens.about.com/cs/cocainecrack/l/blquizcrack.htm -
Take this quiz to see how much you know about cocaine and crack.

The Needham Youth Commission offers a variety of services to Needham
residents including counseling for children, adolescents, and
families; Substance Abuse Awareness Program; Employment Program;
Volunteer Program; Peer Tutor Program; Project VAN; Ray of Hope; and
Students Against Destructive Decisions.

For further information regarding any of the abovementioned services
or to submit a question to "Ask the Youth Commission" at please
contact the Needham Youth Commission by phone at 781-455-7518, by fax
at 781-449-4569, by mail at Needham Town Hall 1471 Highland Ave.,
Needham, MA 02492, by e-mail at
Needhamyouthcommission@town.needham.ma.us or visit our website at
http://www.town.needham.ma.us/Youth.