Poor Rat Was Made To Take Cocaine

Video Description

This 30 second television spot ran on TV in 1987. I was not much of a drug taker. Yes I smoked a bit of marijuana from time to time. But Cocaine was in my world as a New York documentary filmmaker. One of my colleagues had a bowl of cocaine in his office. He was a film editor and he said that it helped his editing. Several cameramen shared similar experiences with me. So I was considering at least trying it,. Then I saw this television spot and it resonated with fears that I already had and it convinced me not to delve into cocaine. Also I did see several professional colleagues who went downhill mentally and physically by overusing the drug. While I was working to create videos for my subscribers I found this old commercial and it stuck with me as something I should share with you. I went looking for some unprejudiced info and I found the best information on the DEA website. Surprising but this seems correct. I'm sure many of the viewers will have other opinions about this. WHAT IS COCAINE? - Cocaine is an intense, euphoria-producing stimulant drug with strong addictive potential. Which drugs cause similar effects? - Other stimulants, such as amphetamine and methamphetamine, cause effects similar to cocaine that vary mainly in degree. What is its legal status in the United States? Cocaine is a Schedule II drug under the Controlled Substances Act, meaning it has a high potential for abuse and has an accepted medical use for treatment in the United States. Cocaine hydrochloride solution (4 percent and 10 percent) is used primarily as a topical local anesthetic for the upper respiratory tract. It also is used to reduce bleeding of the mucous membranes in the mouth, throat, and nasal cavities. However, more effective products have been developed for these purposes, and cocaine is now rarely used medically in the United States. What are common street names? - Common street names include: • Blow, Coca, Coke, Crack, Flake, Snow, and Soda Cot What does it look like? - Cocaine is usually distributed as a white, crystalline powder. It is often diluted (“cut”) with a variety of substances, the most common of which are sugars and local anesthetics. It is “cut” to stretch the amount of the product and increase profits for dealers. Cocaine base (crack) looks like small, irregularly shaped chunks (or “rocks”) of a whitish solid. How is it abused? - Powdered cocaine can be snorted or injected into the veins after dissolving in water. Cocaine base (crack) is smoked, either alone or on marijuana or tobacco. Cocaine is also used in combination with an opiate, like heroin, a practice known as “speedballing.” Although injecting into veins or muscles, snorting, and smoking are the common ways of using cocaine, all mucous membranes readily absorb cocaine. Cocaine users often binge on the drug until they are exhausted or run out of cocaine. What is its effect on the mind? - The intensity of cocaine’s euphoric effects depends on how quickly the drug reaches the brain, which depends on the dose and method of abuse. Following smoking or intravenous injection, cocaine reaches the brain in seconds, with a rapid buildup in levels. This results in a rapid-onset, intense euphoric effect - a “rush.” Other effects include increased alertness and excitation, as well as restlessness, irritability, and anxiety. Tolerance to cocaine’s effects develops rapidly, causing users to take higher and higher doses. Taking high doses of cocaine or prolonged use, such as binging, commonly causes paranoia. The crash that follows euphoria is characterized by mental and physical exhaustion, sleep, and depression lasting several days. Following the crash, users experience a craving to use cocaine again. What is its effect on the body? - Physiological effects of cocaine include increased blood pressure and heart rate, dilated pupils, insomnia, and loss of appetite. The widespread abuse of highly pure street cocaine has led to many severe adverse health consequences such as: Irregular heartbeat, ischemic heart conditions, sudden cardiac arrest, convulsions, strokes, and death. In some users, the long-term use of inhaled cocaine has led to a serious respiratory syndrome, and chronic snorting of cocaine has led to the erosion of the upper nasal cavity. What is its legal status in the United States? - Cocaine is a schedule II drug under the Controlled Substances Act meaning it has a high potential for abuse and has an accepted medical use for treatment. Cocaine hydrochloride solution (4 percent and 10 percent) is used primarily as a topical local anesthetic for the upper respiratory tract. It also is used to reduce bleeding of the mucous membranes in the mouth, throat, and nasal cavities. More effective products have been developed for these purposes and cocaine is now rarely used medically in the United States. Subscribers have asked how I feel about the rat. I hate that the rat is being used and I feel for it.