Long Term Effects of Cocaine Use, Essay Example

Drug abuse is a common problem that affects communities throughout the world. Many different types of illicit substances are regularly abused; however, one of the most commonly preferred drugs of choice is cocaine. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that cocaine is a powerful, addictive drug, one that has serious long-term consequences for those who abuse it. These long-term effects include powerful cravings and tolerance for the drug, as well as chronic weight loss, malnourishment and heart disease. Other long-term effects are also associated with cocaine use such as anxiety, convulsions, restlessness, panic attacks, paranoia and other psychological, as well as physiological effects. Long-term physical effects of snorting cocaine use include nosebleeds, swallowing problems and severe nasal irritation. The effects of ingesting cocaine can lead to bowel gangrene and injecting cocaine causes puncture tracks. Severe allergic reactions to cocaine or from dangerous additives in street cocaine sometimes lead to sudden death (NIH, 2010).

It is no wonder there are so many reports of cocaine use and the problems it causes for users and abusers in the media, such as with celebrities like Whitney Houston. It is a sad reality that long-term cocaine abuse contributed to Ms. Houston’s death. However, her cocaine addiction was the cause of many social, financial and personal problems in her life for many years, and this was all played out in the media. No doubt, many people remember that Whitney Houston’s and her husband, Bobby Brown’s; cocaine use was regularly in the spotlight. This often caused social stigma for them and caused their personal lives to be put under scrutiny by the media. It is also well known that Whitney Houston was admitted to rehab several times over the years for her long-term cocaine use and addiction. According to a 2011 article on the ABC News website, Ms. Houston returned to rehab during that year. In addition, the article states that Ms. Houston admitted that she and her husband always had cocaine available and often laced marijuana cigarettes with it. She also admitted to drama and physical abuse in her relationship when they were using cocaine by telling Oprah Winfrey that Bobby Brown spit on her and she hit him over the head with a telephone. The article also references Ms. Houston’s interview with Diane Sawyer in 2002 when she made the now famous quote, “Crack is wack”, referring to her use of cocaine and not crack, as if cocaine abuse is inherently better than abusing crack (Fisher, 2011). This just shows how indifferent people can be toward drugs.

According to a 2012 article in Newsweek, Whitney Houston’s body was found to have shown signs of long-term cocaine abuse, such as a hole in her septum and heart disease. She also forgot the lyrics to her own songs and missed concert dates, and she lost her beautiful singing voice due to long-term cocaine use. A report after her death revealed that she had been seen turning cartwheels by the Beverly Hills Hotel pool the night she died. This was just one of many incidences of bizarre behavior she would display when she was under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Additionally, Ms. Houston is reported to have spent several thousands of dollars every week on cocaine and other drugs, to keep on hand so that she would not run out. This is all shocking news, but the most interesting news of all is that Bobby Brown did not introduce Whitney Houston to drugs, as so many had accused him of doing, but it was her brothers who introduced her to drugs back in the 1980s (Samuels, 2012).

Whitney Houston’s public display of drug use and abuse should be a lesson to any who have witnessed her fall from grace, as it shows the devastating effects of long-term use of cocaine.

References

Fisher, L. (2011). Whitney Houston Returns to Rehab. Retrieved from ABC News: http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/whitney-houston-returns-rehab/story?id=13563047

NIH. (2010, September). What are the long-term effects of cocaine use? Retrieved from National Institute on Drug Abuse: http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/cocaine-abuse-addiction/what-are-long-term-effects-cocaine-use

Samuels, A. (2012). Whitney Houston’s Private Hell and Inevitable Death. Retrieved from Newsweek: http://www.newsweek.com/whitney-houstons-private-hell-and-inevitable-death-64115