Dosage can vary considerably dependent on the method of administration and tolerance of the individual A “line” of cocaine is about 50 – 75 mg A dose of Crack is closer to 150 mg The lethal dose of cocaine also depends upon the method of administration. Snorted cocaine is lethal if over 500 mg Injected cocaine is lethal if 20 mg are administered.

Why might it be untrue that one can more easily overdose (die) on crack than cocaine? A.Because crack is smoked, much is lost from burning B.Because crack is smoked, it gets into the blood faster C.Because crack is smoked, we are protected from gastrointestinal effects D.Because cocaine is snorted, it gets into the blood faster E.Because cocaine is snorted, it has a shorter half life

I NJECTED COCAINE = 15 SECONDS I NJECTED COCAINE = 15 SECONDS S MOKING COCAINE = 5 SECONDS S MOKING COCAINE = 5 SECONDS T HE HIGH FROM SMOKING CRACK IS VERY BRIEF (10 MINUTES ) BUT MORE INTENSE THAN OTHER ADMINISTRATION METHODS CAUSES USERS TO “ CHASE ” THEIR HIGH, SEEKING MORE BECAUSE THEIR HIGH WAS INTENSE BUT BRIEF.

Cocaine Half life= ~ 1hr CYP2A4 Metabolite= Benzolecgonine Half life 2-3 days  as long as 8 days

Q: L IDOCAINE IS A COCAINE - RELATED ANALGESIC THAT IS METABOLIZED BY CYP1A2 AND CYP3A4. R EGULAR USERS OF WHAT TWO DRUGS MIGHT REQUIRE HIGHER DOSES OF LIDOCAINE ? A: O THER DRUGS METABOLIZED BY THESE ENZYMES. CYP1A2 – CAFFEINE AND ECSTASY. CYP3A4 METABOLIZES NEARLY HALF OF ALL PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.

B LOCKING THESE CHANNELS INHIBITS ACTION POTENTIALS  ALTHOUGH DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHANNELS ARE IMPACTED AND NOT THOSE OF THE REWARD PATHWAY B LOCKING THESE CHANNELS INHIBITS ACTION POTENTIALS  ALTHOUGH DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHANNELS ARE IMPACTED AND NOT THOSE OF THE REWARD PATHWAY I T TURNS OUT THAT THERE ARE OTHER ( NON - NEURAL ) TISSUES WHOSE FUNCTION DEPENDS UPON SODIUM CHANNELS  BLOCKING SODIUM CHANNELS IN THE HEART CAN LEAD TO HEART FAILURE. I T TURNS OUT THAT THERE ARE OTHER ( NON - NEURAL ) TISSUES WHOSE FUNCTION DEPENDS UPON SODIUM CHANNELS  BLOCKING SODIUM CHANNELS IN THE HEART CAN LEAD TO HEART FAILURE.

Q: L IKE MOST STIMULANTS, COCAINE CAUSES VASOCONSTRICTION. A PERSON WITH WHAT MEDICAL CONDITION ( S ) SHOULD NOT USE COCAINE ? A: H IGH BLOOD PRESSURE

C OCAINE IS ABLE TO BLOCK SODIUM CHANNELS NECESSARY FOR HEART FUNCTION. C OCAINE IS ABLE TO BLOCK SODIUM CHANNELS NECESSARY FOR HEART FUNCTION. B LOCKING ELECTRICAL EVENTS OF THE HEART IS A PRIMARY CAUSE OF COCAINE RELATED OVERDOSE DEATH. C OCAINE USE LEADS TO TACHYCARDIA – ELEVATED PULSE RATE.

E ROSION OF NASAL MEMBRANES OCCURS WHEN USERS REGULARLY SNORT THE DRUG E ROSION OF NASAL MEMBRANES OCCURS WHEN USERS REGULARLY SNORT THE DRUG HIV RISK IS ELEVATED AMONG FOLKS WHO INJECT THEIR COCAINE HIV RISK IS ELEVATED AMONG FOLKS WHO INJECT THEIR COCAINE R ESPIRATORY AILMENTS ARE OBSERVED IF USERS SMOKE CRACK COCAINE OR FREEBASE. R ESPIRATORY AILMENTS ARE OBSERVED IF USERS SMOKE CRACK COCAINE OR FREEBASE.

Q: T HINK OF YOUR IMAGE OF A CRACK USER. U SING YOUR CONCEPTIONS ( MISCONCEPTIONS ) ABOUT THIS TYPE OF PERSON, WHY MIGHT THE EVIDENCE PERTAINING TO PREGNANCY BE OVER - BLOWN ? A: M OST CRACK USERS ALSO USE OTHER DRUGS. W HICH DRUG HAS BIGGEST IMPACT IS DEBATABLE, AND PERHAPS IT IS THE MIXUTURE.

2.S OME PEOPLE ARE MORE ( OR LESS ) DRIVEN TO USE COCAINE AT ALL  DRUG - SEEKING BEHAVIOR IS CORRELATED WITH VARIATIONS OF D2DR GENE ( ENCODING THE DOPAMINE RECEPTOR ). S OME VERSIONS OF THIS RECEPTOR ARE HYPOTHESIZED TO POORLY BIND DOPAMINE AND WHEN PEOPLE HAVE THIS VERSION, THEY CRAVE EXPERIENCES THAT LEAD TO DOPAMINE

4.N EW STUDIES ARE FINDING THAT OUR BODIES MAKE A MICRO -RNA (212) WHICH SEEMS TO PROTECT PEOPLE WHO MAKE IT AGAINST COCAINE ADDICTION.

O THERS MIGHT THINK THAT COMBINING ALCOHOL AND COCAINE MIGHT HELP THE ALCOHOL DRINKER TO STAY ALERT. O THERS MIGHT THINK THAT COMBINING ALCOHOL AND COCAINE MIGHT HELP THE ALCOHOL DRINKER TO STAY ALERT. A N UNEXPECTED OUTCOME RESULTS FROM COCAINE AND ALCOHOL USE  THE BODY FORMS COCAETHYLENE WHEN COCAINE AND ALCOHOL ARE TAKEN SIMULTANEOUSLY T HIS HAS BEEN SHOWN IN RODENTS TO BE VERY TOXIC TO CARDIAC FUNCTION

Q: U SING QUALITATIVE TERMS ( GOOD TRANSPORTER – MOVES DOPAMINE EFFICIENTLY, GOOD RECEPTOR BINDS DOPAMINE TIGHTLY ), WHAT VARIATIONS IN THESE FUNCTIONS DO YOU SPECULATE WILL LEAD TO PROTECTION FROM COCAINE ABUSE ? A: G OOD RECYCLER CRAVES MORE DOPAMINE IN SYNAPSE AND WILL BE MORE RESISTANT TO INHIBITION BY COCAINE. T HEY WANT TO USE MORE DRUG TO GET SAME EFFECT. BUT THEY MIGHT NOT FIND THE EFFECT AS PLEASURABLE, WHICH WOULD REDUCE THEIR LIKELIHOOD OF ADDICTION.