It seems like there is not one facet of society not feeling the effects of the devastating economic situation here in the United States. Could the economy help curb our nation’s epidemic use of recreational drugs?

Is the recession changing the way we get high? All sorts of quirky trends have been attributed as fallout from the global economic crisis—including, most recently, a decrease in the frequency with which parents change their kids’ diapers, and a rise in odds and ends like lottery ticket sales and dog kidnappings. Now, experts are saying that people are turning away from pricey cocaine during these tough times, and are instead choosing cheaper narcotics to get their fix.

Citing a report from the Center for the Study and Prevention of Substance Abuse at Nova Southeastern University in South Florida, the Miami Herald reports that there are several indications cocaine usage is down in the area once known for “Miami Vice” and a teeming cocaine culture. The number of cocaine overdoses treated in ERs, cocaine-related deaths, and people seeking treatment for crack and cocaine addictions have all dropped sharply in recent years.

In 2007, for example, there were 281 cocaine-related deaths in Miami. At the time, the figure was fairly typical. In both 2009 and 2010, however, there under 200 cocaine-related deaths (155 and 198, respectively).

Floridians haven’t simply become more inclined to go cold turkey and just say no, however. Experts say a prime reason that cocaine usage is down is because consumers (i.e., illicit drug users) have been seeking more bang (i.e., buzz) for the buck in recent years.

The war on drugs may not have made cocaine disappear, but it did make it more difficult, and more expensive for abusers to get their hands on coke—which has also increasingly been less likely to be a pure, uncut product. As the Herald story notes, “drug users paid more and got less” when purchasing cocaine.

As the recession took hold and Florida’s unemployment rate shot to upwards of 12%, fewer people had the disposable income to afford “Scarface” type piles of cocaine. And, like the tippler who, when money is tight, chooses cheap beer rather than top-shelf liquor, many former cocaine users stopped snorting and subbed cheap prescription narcotics instead. Per the Herald:

While cocaine may have fallen from fashion and favor, more Floridians turned to prescription drugs. Of the 9,000 drug-related deaths statewide last year, 6,090 showed the person used benzodiazepines and Oxycodone. Prescription drug deaths increased 50 percent in Miami-Dade last year.

A report showed that the number of prescription drug-related deaths also rose 9% throughout all of Florida from 2009 to 2010. One reason for the shift from cocaine to prescription drugs is that the latter are cheaper. Relatively speaking, they’re also much easier and safer to get one’s hands on.

The economy is in a shambles and drug abuse is still on the rise. What is needed is more drug education at an earlier age.

Pennsylvania is suffering from drug addiction. You could include all other 49 states in that assessment.

Philadelphia has started a program whose goal is to coordinate efforts of numerous government and community organizations in reducing the consequences of drug abuse on individuals, families and the community.

Drug abuse impacts the criminal justice system, law enforcement, treatment system and numerous other private and public organizations, especially individuals and families. These coalitions will give them an opportunity to focus efforts where they see the greatest need and impact. It will also enables them to get important information on drugs of abuse out to parents and the community through a comprehensive public relations and electronic media campaign.

Those involved in the effort include the Department of Jobs & Family Services, the Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Department, ADAMHS board members, representatives of common pleas and municipal courts, Union Hospital emergency department management, Dover City Schools officials and people with families members who have addictions.

The type of drugs being abused is constantly changing. While marijuana, cocaine and heroin remain a problem, law enforcement have had to deal with newer ones as well, such as the recreational drug known as bath salts, which are scheduled to become illegal this month.

Providing information on new drugs will be one of the goals of the coalitions. While parents and teachers are the first line of defense against drug abuse, grandparents, coaches and neighbors need to be informed, as well. Anyone concerned about the welfare of a child has a responsibility to become educated on the subject.

I would like to hear what you have to say on this issue. Perhaps, if you come up with a good suggestion I will discuss it in my drug awareness class.

We have looked at number 10 through 3 on the top 10 most abused chemical substances and their addictive nature. Now we are down to #2 – cocaine. Do you know anyone who uses cocaine? If so, more than likely you know someone addicted to cocaine.

What is cocaine?

Cocaine is a drug derived from the leaves of the coca plant. Believe it or not, just a little more than 100 years ago it was used for medicinal purposes and was one of the ingredients used in the original formula for Coca-Cola!

Cocaine is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic. Specifically, it is a serotonin–norepinephrine–dopamine reuptake inhibitor, which mediates functionality of these neurotransmitters as an exogenous catecholamine transporter ligand.

Cocaine is a powerful nervous system stimulant. Its effects can last from 15–30 minutes to an hour, depending upon the method of ingestion.

Cocaine increases alertness, feelings of well-being and euphoria, energy and motor activity, feelings of competence and sexuality. Athletic performance may be enhanced in sports where sustained attention and endurance is required. Anxiety, paranoia and restlessness are also frequent. With excessive dosage, tremors, convulsions and increased body temperature are observed

How Addictive is Cocaine?

Let’s just say it is very addictive. Basically, cocaine does things to the brain and central nervous system that make it more enjoyable, and more is needed all the time, making it highly addictive. Because of the way it affects the mesolimbic reward pathway, cocaine is addictive.

Unlike most molecules, cocaine possesses both high hydrophilic and lipophilic efficiency, violating the rule of hydrophilic-lipophilic balance. This causes it to cross the blood-brain barrier with vastly superior reinforcement than to other psychoactive chemicals.

An article in The Lancet compared the harm and addiction of 20 drugs, using a scale from 0 to 3 (with 3 being the most addictive chemical substance) for physical addiction, psychological addiction, and pleasure to create a mean score for addiction.

In this study, cocaine was the second most addictive substance, with only heroin more addictive overall. With respect to physical dependency, cocaine scored only a 1.3, which actually makes it less physically addictive than tobacco (1.8) and alcohol (1.6).

However, cocaine is extremely addictive psychologically. Cocaine scored a 2.8 for psychological dependency, only behind heroin (3.0). No other chemical substance was even close to these two – except tobacco (2.6).

Cocaine dependence is psychological dependency on the regular use of cocaine. Cocaine dependency may result in physiological damage, lethargy, psychosis, depression and fatal overdose.

This is a drug that should be avoided at all costs. Do not experiment with it. If someone you know or care about suffers from cocaine addiction please have them seek help immediately. If they want total anonymity, there are online drug classes as well.

How many people do you know who are addicted to something? By that I don’t mean my friend who is addicted to refurbishing old motorcycles.  I am asking about people who addicted to a chemical substance.

Over the following weeks I will be writing a series of blogs on addictive drugs.  The series will begin with the least addictive and move on to the most addictive.  It will cover marijuana, alcohol and tobacco as well as cocaine, heroin, LSD, barbiturates, benzodiazepines and amphetamines.

One of the major underlying issues is that some people are more prone to addictive behavior.  Believe it or not, research has shown that people can be genetically pre-dispositioned to addictive behavior. 

Look at your parents. Are they addicts? If so, you stand a much greater chance of becoming addicted to drugs or alcohol yourself. That’s not to say that you will.  Of course if you never try a drug, you will never be addicted to it. 

But not all drugs are the same when it comes to being addictive.  I hope you enjoy the series.  As always I welcome your comments on anything we blog about here.  Too learn more about drugs and alcohol and their addictive qualities please take one of our in class or online drug classes.

Drugs have long been a problem in the clubs both overseas and here in America.  Now, reports are coming out that "Club drug" abuse in Britain is on the rise, as young people ditch cocaine and heroin for mephedrone and ketamine.

Club drugs are constantly re-invented to evade drug laws and have left healthcare professionals ill-equipped to deal with new trends in substance abuse. Patterns of drug use in the UK are changing and over the last two or three years we have continued to see an increase in the use of "club drugs”.

According to a British survey the number of 16-24 year olds who used the stimulant mephedrone last year was at a similar level to powder cocaine abuse - a figure of around 300,000 people.

Both of these drugs are banned in Britain, but there is a roaring trade for "legal highs" among the clubbing community and young professionals.

Kids are always seeking the next high, especially if it remains legal (like bath salts).  There are new drugs emerging all the time, particularly a group of substances known as "legal highs". The health risks associated with excessive use of club drugs are underestimated by many people and little is known about the potential problems of the newer drugs.

The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) recorded 41 new drug compounds in 2010 and 20 new compounds in the first four months of 2011.

The result is a lack of understanding about the drugs, and existing drug services that focus on alcohol, crack cocaine and heroin abuse are failing to cater for club drug addicts.

While more research on the potential dangers is of course warranted, first and foremost, these kids need to be made aware quickly that legal or not, these drugs are lethal. Perhaps a good online drug class is in order.

“Scarface” brought to the big screen the cocaine importation and business in South Florida. Cocaine has long been a problem, almost always, seeming without end, for Floridians in general and Miami specifically.

I cannot remember the last time I heard of some positive news regarding cocaine and its use in Miami. Yet here some is.

According to recent report cocaine use is on the decline in Miami. The soft economy in a state with 10 percent unemployment has made the long-popular drug a "pricey extravagance."

This is not the same coke Al Pacino was peddling as “Scarface” back in the day. The drug war has reduced the purity of cocaine, meaning users pay more and get less of the drug, and drug users are increasingly turning to cheaper prescription drugs that are easier to get.

The number of patients treated in emergency rooms for cocaine overdoses has also fallen recently, and the number of people seeking treatment for cocaine addiction fell to 549 last year from 918 the previous year, a 41 percent decline.

But prescription drug use has been on the rise.  Among 9,000 people who died of drug-related causes statewide in 2010, 6,090 had used benzodiazepines and Oxycodone.

Cocaine ranked fifth in causes of drug deaths, behind crystal methamphetamine and alcohol.

Well – it is nice to get a little good news when it comes to use of such a horrific drug.  Perhaps a good online drug class is in order for everyone to get the numbers even lower.