I don't know if you have some knowledge about how a posion works. You can look for it in the internet but, as I am a biologist, I will try to put it simple:
A poison is a toxic substance that can produce an illness, lesion, an alteration of the normal body functions and even death. They trigger or inhibit a chemical process by reacting with an enzyme (also preventing it's natural reactive to bind, something that almost always produces secondary effects).
The diference between a poison and a medicine is marked by the quantity of substance required. Poisons usualy require a very small quantity to produce the effects and could be dangerous or lethal if this quantity is surpassed. Also poisons have no terapeutic use unless they are carefuly processed.
I think heroine and cocaine are well suited to this description.
How small of a quantity are you talking about with regards to cocaine and heroin?
Me, I doubt the therapeutic uses of many medicines. It's not that I won't take them, but I am reluctant because side effects suck and I would say around 99% of all medicines I've ever taken have some really sucky side effect. Akin to poison. Regardless of how "careful" one is in prescribing them to me, and in my taking them. Some medicines suck and are akin to poison. You feel otherwise? Great, my experience of both trumps your claims. I know of more than 20 people who have ingested more than 'a little' cocaine (depending how one quantifies that), and I think all of those (perhaps there is an exception or two) are I would say healthy, normal, living an okay to very good life.
Although your personal experience with cocaine has its value, a chemist, doctor or biologist would have a more valuable opinion than yours, concerning to the substance. Even if they have not consumed it.
I disagree, and is where this debate falls apart. Chemists, doctors, biologists reference properties in lieu of 'average' person. The data they provide, I observe often leads to "lies" about usage. Like, "snort one line of coke, and you could die." Well the "you could" part could be said about... anything. The implication given the ways in which that message is often distributed (via ad campaigns, or ex addicts, or friends of those who died from one line) is, "no it's not you could, you will. Law of averages tells us this. You want to argue with that? Good luck, but it is no different than pointing loaded revolver at your head. You're going to die!!!!!!!!"
Guess what doc, everybody dies.
So, yeah, you might be onto something there.
I hope you understand that your ability to diagnose the symptoms that cocaine produces is merely anecdotal and could be not taken into account.
In what sort of situation?
Let me cite you some of the symptoms that I'm sure you can easily find on the internet (at least in a medical webpage):
Changes in the subject's normal behavior. The first area of action of cocaine is the dopaminergic system, making the person to take an unpredictable behavior, producing a strong feeling of alertness and stress. It is this stress which produces the greatest long-term damage to a lot of consumers.
Again, I know 'a lot of consumers' and this comes off as inaccurate, unless the point is, "you don't know what there brain looks like. Instead of dying at 87, they are now likely to die at 75 or younger because of cocaine use." If in that vein, the points may be valid, but I would say impractical. There are umpteen hundred substances all around us that are cutting life span short. Most of them are legal. Some of them are subsidized.
It is one of the most addictive substances even if consumed in its pure form (cocaine hydrochloride) because it interferes with regulators of serotonin, a substance that produces feelings of well being and happiness.
In my experience, nicotine (cigarettes) is far more addictive. Like 3 times more so. Sugar I would say is more addictive than cocaine. And from what I understand meth and heroin are more addictive. I could see things like gambling (video slots) being more addictive. Compared to marijuana, cocaine is more addictive, not just in my experience, but just about every user (of both) that I know / have known. I actually don't know any current coke users.
It is a potent vasoconstrictor. It is because of this rise in blood pressure that most consumers experience a sensation of tachycardia, palpitations, anxiety, irritability and aggressiveness. This symptoms are very common even if consumed for the first time.
And amount to non-issue in 100% of the cases I'm familiar with from personal relations (from first use). Admittedly, of the hard core users I've known, some have complained of chest tightness issues, but this is not in first 10 uses. More like first 100 uses, by persons who think a little won't do it anymore.
Most consumers have a moderate tolerance to effects, requiring increasing doses to achieve the desired state and thus exponentially increasing the damage to the body.
And again, most consumers I am personally familiar with, have left the drug with history that would look a little like 'experimentation' except I know of a few hard core users who are now clean. One not to long ago told me rather scary story of 'reaching bottom' and I was anticipating the story to lead to them needing outside intervention to get off, since they had already become full blown addict, unable to simply set it aside. But story didn't conclude that way, and instead was person having revelation of sorts (from within) that then was the time to stop. Completely stop, and move on. That person still drinks alcohol. Most users I know do not fall in category of chronic abuser. That is fact. While dosage may go up, it is akin to person who needs large cup or 3 cups of coffee in morning, or person who needs 2 desserts during day. In fact, wherever you find lack of moderation in I would say anything, that is sign of 'person needing more than normal amount.' Yet, in some circles, some situations that is the people who are grown-ups. Cut from a different breed.
Among the group of regular users, some of the most serious effects that may be experienced are:
-Nasal-Ulceration which can lead to partial or total loss of the tissue that forms the nose (of course if consumed via nasal).
Usually an issue depending on purity of the drug. Less pure usually means more damage.
Side effect, all medicinal substances I'm familiar with have sucky things like this that occur to the body.
Of all the people I've ever heard of using (includes hundreds I've never met in person), I would say this is accurate for 1% of the cases, maybe less.
-Stroke (cerebrovascular accident). This means a quick loss of brain functions.
I am yet to hear of anyone having this from coke use. Even if I were linked to cases, that would likely put it in quantity of less than 1%
-Sudden death. Especially when mixing cocaine and alcohol, which lead to the formation of a lethal compound called cocaethylene.
Well, let's blame coke on those who would mix it with other substances. Btw, I know users who did both, and of all cases I've ever heard of, I know of none that had "sudden death," as if that is isolated from some other condition.
Side effect. All drugs have potential sucky side effects.
Paranoia, yes. IMO, it is number one factor, and does have to with how it is cut. The less cut it is (and more pure) the less the paranoia.
Paranoid Schizophrenia, I will say never or in very minimal forms, read as slight. Prolonged use could plausibly lead to schizo traits, but is true in abuse of many mind altering substances. Abuse being key word, not 'simple or regular use.'
Cocaine was used in the past as a local anesthetic but was declared illegal because of the addiction rate and high toxicity. Today, some countries still consider legal their use in anesthetic therapies.
Its history in society is far more interesting than this little nugget. Go read up about it (Popularity) on Wikipedia or watch documentary on it.
My bottom line (which I believe is stated 1 to 2 times earlier in this thread): teach one and all the chemical, biological and medicinal perspective of cocaine and other drugs, but in that same 'course,' have the integrity to teach the good experience, the balanced approach so people receive truth, rather than trying these substances and finding out like thousands before them that no, you won't have cardiac arrest, sudden death, and start making up 14 personalities just because you dared to try that drug that they told you would be end of life as you know it.
, no offense.
