Heavensfield

Drug Category: Stimulant

During Cocaine Use:

• Rapid heart rate
• Increased energy
• Blood shot eyes
• Frequent sniffing
• Increased temperature
• High blood pressure
• Anxiety or feelings of anxiousness
• Aggressive or violent behavior
• Muscle tension or spasms
• Heart problems or chest pain
• Lack of desire for sleep

With Chronic Use:

• Tolerance and possible dependence on drug
• Nasal pain, nasal tissue damage
• Depressed or altered mood state
• Dependence on drug
• Changes in mood
• Anxiety or paranoia
• Psychotic behavior
• Insomnia
• Lack of appetite, weight loss
• Distance oneself from friends or family members
• Chest pain, heart problems
• Stroke
• Risk of contracting HIV or hepatitis

Possible signs of Cocaine use

• Deviations in regular sleep patterns, insomnia
• Behavioral changes
• Losing friends, switching to new groups of friends
• Jittery or hyperactive behavior
• Less interest in food, doesn’t seem to eat much
• Financial picture changes, may request money from others
• Depressed mood when high wears off
• Disinterested in school, work, or other activities

 

Drug recognition techniques are systematic and standardized evaluation techniques for detecting signs and symptoms of substance abuse. All the areas evaluated are observable physical reactions to specific types of drugs. Three key elements in the process are

• Verifying that the person's physical responses deviate from normal
• Ruling out a cause that is not drug related
• Using diagnostic procedures to determine the category or combination of substances that are likely to cause the impairment