Does it sound cool now? (Myspace)

[Squishy0405]

Does It Sound Cool Now?
"Cocaine abuse also has multiple physical health consequences. It is associated with a lifetime risk of heart attack that is seven times that of non-users. During the hour after cocaine is used, heart attack risk rises 24-fold

Side effects from chronic smoking of cocaine include chest pain, lung trauma, shortness of breath, sore throat, hoarse voice, dyspnea, and an aching, flu-like syndrome. A common misconception is that the smoking of cocaine chemically breaks down tooth enamel and causes tooth decay. However, cocaine does often cause involuntary tooth grinding, known as bruxism, which can deteriorate tooth enamel and lead to gingivitis.

Chronic intranasal usage can degrade the cartilage separating the nostrils, leading eventually to its complete disappearance. Due to the absorption of the cocaine from cocaine hydrochloride, the remaining hydrochloride forms a dilute hydrochloric acid.


Cocaine may also greatly increase this risk of developing rare autoimmune or connective tissue diseases such as lupus, Goodpasture's disease, vasculitis, glomerulonephritis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome and other diseases. It can also cause a wide array of kidney diseases and renal failure.While these conditions are normally found in chronic use they can also be caused by short term exposure in susceptible individuals.

There have been published studies reporting that cocaine causes changes in the frontal lobe of the brain. The full extent of possible brain deterioration from cocaine use is not known."


Yea, I didn't think so.

[Tantei Kid]

It never sounded cool.
Maybe it's just I've never found power 80s fast track people to give off a "cool" image. And I can't imagine anyone thinking of a crack pipe as awesome.


Now all those rave kids with their E, they're cool.

[landmammal]

However, cocaine does often cause involuntary tooth grinding, known as bruxism, which can deteriorate tooth enamel and lead to gingivitis.

I don't see the connection. I told my dentist I grind my teeth at night, and he told me all about the dangers of that and they did not include gingivitis. I really don't see how wearing down the enamel on the chewing surfaces of your teeth has anything to do with your gum health.

[geminilee]

Actually, the gingivitis is from dry mouth, and poor tooth care. Most hard-core addicts don't brush. Same with meth. You get a similar effect in elderly or disabled people because many pills cause dry mouth, which is horribly bad for your teeth.

[charlie23]

I don't understand the point of posting this. Chronic cocaine abuse causes problems, and it's a surprise to anybody? Or are you questioning whether or not these are actual symptoms? Or is myspace sending out bulk emails warning of the dangers of cocaine addiction ?
I've done my share of coke, although never on a regular basis. Everything there seems plausable enough depending, of course, on how much you do. Not to endorse illegal substances, but water will kill you if you ingest enough of it.

I remember a Robin Williams line, "Cocaine: A drug that makes you paranoid and impotent. That's the drug for me!"

Originally Posted by charlie23

I don't understand the point of posting this. Chronic cocaine abuse causes problems, and it's a surprise to anybody? Or are you questioning whether or not these are actual symptoms? Or is myspace sending out bulk emails warning of the dangers of cocaine addiction ?
I've done my share of coke, although never on a regular basis. Everything there seems plausable enough depending, of course, on how much you do. Not to endorse illegal substances, but water will kill you if you ingest enough of it.

Yeah, but you REALLY have to work at that.

So you're willing to risk the 24X shot at a coronary every single time you use cocaine?

I've never understood recreational drug use. Can't you just soak in a hot tub and relax?

Originally Posted by Lobo

I've never understood recreational drug use.

It's for those who can't get high on their own.

[geminilee]

Originally Posted by Lobo

I've never understood recreational drug use. Can't you just soak in a hot tub and relax?

I take it you do not drink alcohol or ingest caffeine?

[MapleLeaf]

Originally Posted by Lobo

I've never understood recreational drug use. Can't you just soak in a hot tub and relax?

I've never understood calculus. But I don't question people who smoke derivatives.

[One-Fang]

Originally Posted by geminilee

I take it you do not drink alcohol or ingest caffeine?

Rarely, and never. Am I permitted to put down recreational drug use now?

Side note: I'm allergic to alcohol. It gives me hayfever. Someone I told this to once said sympathetically "Oh, so you don't drink then?" WTF? I drink, I just get hayfever when I do it. Heheheh.

[Salamander]

Originally Posted by Lobo

So you're willing to risk the 24X shot at a coronary every single time you use cocaine?

Assuming that is a substantiated medical fact and not some bogus statistic made up for the sake of sounding scary.

Personally, I'll take my information from informed sources rather than random myspace posts/e-mails.

Info on cocaine:
http://www.emedicine.com/ped/topic2666.htm

[geminilee]

Originally Posted by One-Fang

Rarely, and never. Am I permitted to put down recreational drug use now?

Side note: I'm allergic to alcohol. It gives me hayfever. Someone I told this to once said sympathetically "Oh, so you don't drink then?" WTF? I drink, I just get hayfever when I do it. Heheheh.

Well, if you do drink alcohol (especially if it causes you unpleasant side effects) then you have little grounds to say that you do not understand why people would use recreational drugs. Obviously you do understand, they do it for the same reasons you do. You are of course allowed to put down whatever you like if it makes you feel superior somehow.

[Jonny T]

Originally Posted by Doug4.7

It's for those who can't get high on their own.

I don't follow. how does one imply the other?

ETA: this is an attitude I get a LOT from people, and I genuinely don't understand the idea that if one uses recreational substances for pleasure, you are automatically incapable of getting pleasure through other means. I'm entirely able to have a great night out with friends without touching a drop of alcohol; equally much, however, I like a good drink now and then.

[Kraiko]

Originally Posted by Lobo

I've never understood recreational drug use. Can't you just soak in a hot tub and relax?

Originally Posted by Doug4.7

It's for those who can't get high on their own.

Tell me, do you support maintaining the current status of illegal drugs in the U.S.?

I believe that the government (at all levels) has no rightful reason to restrict what people do with their bodies, as long as no harm comes to anyone else. I believe that everybody has the right to use tobacco, cocaine, whatever, and experience the effects, good and/or bad, that come from such use.

Am I encouraging drug use? No, I'm just saying that if someone wants to use drugs, the government shouldn't prosecute hir. It's hir body, hir choice.

[One-Fang]

Originally Posted by geminilee

Well, if you do drink alcohol (especially if it causes you unpleasant side effects) then you have little grounds to say that you do not understand why people would use recreational drugs. Obviously you do understand, they do it for the same reasons you do. You are of course allowed to put down whatever you like if it makes you feel superior somehow.

Alcohol doesn't have quite the long-lasting effects that certain other substances do, nor quite the addictive qualities.

It's like saying if you have any sort of job at all you can't criticise workaholic stress freaks.

We've seen enough examples here on Snopes of what P does to people. Haven't seen a single blindingly drunk person try to eviscerate themselves yet, so yeah, I'll stick to "drugs are bad" for now, thanks very much.

[One-Fang]

Originally Posted by Kraiko

I believe that the government (at all levels) has no rightful reason to restrict what people do with their bodies, as long as no harm comes to anyone else. I believe that everybody has the right to use tobacco, cocaine, whatever, and experience the effects, good and/or bad, that come from such use.

Is it illegal to cut yourself? Self mutilation, if discovered, will almost certainly get you a visit to a shrink, at the very least. Should we not say that if a person chooses to cut themselves it's their body, their choice, and back down and let them do it? They're not harming anyone else.

It's illegal to attempt suicide, you'll get yourself a criminal rap for that. But again, my body my choice, right?

OSHA has lots of regulations and rules about how we can do certain activities. They won't let you rewire a house without turning the power off, for example. But again, my body my choice right? Shouldn't I be free to choose to do something dangerously and accept the effects, good and/or bad, of that decision?

[Jonny T]

One-Fang:

- you appear to be assuming everyone supports involuntary incarceration for mental health problems, not always a safe assumption to make.
- viewing a behaviour as destructive does not equate to supporting it being illegal
- you also appear, by 'so yeah, I'll stick to "drugs are bad" for now, thanks very much.', to be placing all illegal drugs in a single category solely due to their legal status - a very limiting view to take.

correct me if I'm making any incorrect assumptions on your view here.

to me, one doesn't need to take the hyper-individualised view promoted by some drug advocates, nor the naive "they're all fine" attitude taken by others, to recognise that many drug related problems are a consequence of their prohibition rather than being held in check by it.

(incidentally, by P are you abbreviating PCP, or is there another substance going by this name "on the street", as it were?)

[geminilee]

Originally Posted by One-Fang

Alcohol doesn't have quite the long-lasting effects that certain other substances do, nor quite the addictive qualities.

It's like saying if you have any sort of job at all you can't criticise workaholic stress freaks.

We've seen enough examples here on Snopes of what P does to people. Haven't seen a single blindingly drunk person try to eviscerate themselves yet, so yeah, I'll stick to "drugs are bad" for now, thanks very much.

How many potheads have you seen eviscerate themselves? How many people on any drugs other than PCP have you seen eviscerate themselves? And it was never conclusively proven that the evisceration you are talking about was self inflicted, or, if it was, that the person was on PCP or any other illegal drug.

You seem to be of the opinion that alcohol use is always benign and that "recreational drugs" (which you don't include alcohol among: I guess you drink purely for medicinal reasons under the direction of a doctor) will always lead to long-lasting ill effects, or even short-term ill effects.

As far as alcohol not having the addictive qualities or level of risk of "recreational drugs": Thank you, I really needed a laugh today. I will be sure to tell all the people who are addicted to alcohol and destroying their livers and families but who are still unable to stop that alcohol is so harmless compared to other drugs. I am sure they will appreciate knowing that.

[landmammal]

Originally Posted by One-Fang

Is it illegal to cut yourself? Self mutilation, if discovered, will almost certainly get you a visit to a shrink, at the very least.

No it won't. Suicidal ideation may, but not cutting/burning/trichotillomania. My old roommate called 911 because her boyfriend at the time was cutting himself. Some cops and an ambulance came over, they talked to him, decided he wasn't suicidal, and left. They recommended he get some help and pointed him in the right direction but they had no authority to make him go anywhere.

Should we not say that if a person chooses to cut themselves it's their body, their choice, and back down and let them do it? They're not harming anyone else.

Yes, we should let them do it. Self-mutilation is not a suicide attempt. If I had a friend who cut, I would encourage her to find other ways of expressing her feelings but it's ultimately her choice. Even if I forced her into therapy, it wouldn't do anything for her unless she wanted to be there. Just like rehab won't help unless the addict is a willing participant. Of course it's painful to watch people you love hurting themselves, but if they're adults there's not a whole lot you can do.