BRAIN
EUPHORIA & DEPRESSION
Early effects include euphoria lasting 5-15 minutes. This "high" is followed by a crushing "low" (depression) that leaves user craving more of the drug.

BRAIN DAMAGE & ADDICTION
Cocaine and crack have an overwhelming effect on the "pleasure centers" in the brain. The drugs interfere, alter, damage, and take control of specialized cells that regulate pleasure, well-being and mood. Regular use may shut off brain's ability to ever be or feel "normal" without cocaine. Long term use may cause permanent biological drug addiction.

CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
Increases blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, and body temperature.
Suppresses desire for food, sex, and sleep.
Can cause strokes, brain seizures, respiratory failure, heart attack, convulsions, and death.

PSYCHOLOGICAL & PERSONALITY CHANGES
Irritability, anxiety, panic attacks, excitable, hyper, erratic, confused, depressed, non-stop babbling, sleeplessness, chronic fatigue, short tempers, bizarre, aggressive, violent, suicidal behavior, overly suspicious, have delusions, paranoia, and hallucinations are common symptoms.

EYES
Dilation of pupils. Vision blurred.

NOSE
"Snorting" can cause holes in nasal septum, continual runny nose, and bleeding.

THROAT
Inhaling cocaine vapors causes hoarseness, coughing and constant sore throat.

LUNGS
Smoking cocaine damages lung cells' ability to process gases, leaving user with constant cough and short of breath. Use may result in respiratory failure brain stops signaling muscles that control breathing to stop working.

HEART
Constricts heart's blood vessels, increasing blood pressure. This may trigger heart attack, heart failure, irregular heart beat, and sudden death.

LIVER
Cocaine and crack can damage liver's ability to detoxify blood, while reducing production of crucial enzymes needed for normal body functions.
Hepatitis can be contracted and cause serious liver damage, lead to cirrhosis, and liver cancer. Hepatitis is highly contagious and can be passed on to others.

INTESTINES
Blood supply is reduced to intestines, resulting in nausea, diarrhea, painful cramps, inflammation, and possible death.

BLOOD VESSELS
Cocaine and crack cause blood vessels to constrict, increasing blood pressure, and risk of heart attack and stroke.

TRANSMITTING DISEASES
Users sharing needles run high risk of infecting themselves with hepatitis or deadly AIDS. Users may pass these diseases to their sexual partners or unborn babies.

BLADDER
Increased need to urinate.

REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
MALES & FEMALES
Regular use can result in loss of interest in sex, decreased sexual performance, risk of impotence and infertility.

PREGNANCY & UNBORN BABIES
Cocaine and crack cause miscarriages, developmental disorders, and complications during birth.
Can result in premature separation of placenta from uterus leading to premature births or stillbirths.
Babies run greater risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Cocaine babies have higher risk of respiratory, kidney trouble, and genital malformation. Visual problems, lack of coordination, and retardation are common.
Babies can suffer strokes and heart attacks.

BODY WEIGHT
Loss of appetite can be so sever that it leads to dramatic weight loss and malnutrition.
 

 
BRAIN & CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
IMPAIRED BEHAVIOR, JUDGMENT, MEMORY, CONCENTRATION, & COORDINATION
Drinker experiences mild euphoria and loss of inhibition as alcohol impairs regions of the brain controlling behavior and emotion. Alcohol impairs judgment, memory, concentration, and coordination; as well as inducing extreme mood swings and emotional outburst.

BRAIN DAMAGE & AFFECT
Alcohol acts as a sedative on the Central Nervous System, depressing the nerve cells in brain, dulling, altering, and damaging their ability to respond. Large doses cause sleep, anesthesia, respiratory failure, coma, and death.

BRAIN DISORDERS & ADDICTION
Long term drinking may result in permanent brain damage, serious mental disorders and addiction to alcohol.

OTHER AFFECTS ON CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
 
   • Impaired visual ability
   • Unclear hearing
   • Dulled smell & taste
   • Loss of pain perception
   • Altered sense of time & space
   • Impaired fine motor skills
   • Slows reactions
   • Impaired sexual performance
 

EYES
Distorted vision and ability to adjust to lights. Pinpoint pupils and red eyes.

EARS
Diminishes ability to distinguish between sounds and perceive their direction.

MOUTH
Slurred speech. Dulls taste and smell, reducing desire to eat.

THROAT
Irritation and damage of esophagus, induces severe vomiting, hemorrhaging, pain, and difficult swallowing. Cancer.

LUNGS
High amounts of alcohol may cause breathing to stop; then death.
Lowered resistance to infection.

HEART
Weakness the heart muscle and ability to pump (Cardiomyopathy).
Heart enlargement, abnormal heart signs, and irregular heart beat.
Increases blood pressure, risk of heart attack, and strokes. Inhibits production of white and red blood cells.

MUSCLES
Muscles become weaker and atrophy, pain, spasms, and tenderness.

STOMACH
Irritation of stomach lining, peptic ulcers, inflammation, bleeding lesions, and cancer.

PANCREAS
Significant risk of pancreatis, a chronic inflammation of pancreas.

LIVER
Chronic heavy drinking may cause alcoholic hepatitis (inflammation & destruction of liver cells). Impairs the liver's ability to remove yellow pigment and skin appears yellow (Jaundice).
Liver damage causes fluid to build in extremities (Edema).
Decreases production of blood-clotting factors; may cause uncontrolled bleeding.
Liver accumulates fat which can cause liver failure, coma, and death.

INTESTINES
Irritation of the lining of the intestinal tract and colon. Chronic drinking may result in inflammation, ulcers, and cancer of intestines and colon.
Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, sweating, and loss of appetite are common.
Alcohol impairs small intestine's ability to process nutrients and vitamins.

REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
MALES & FEMALES
Sexual functioning can be impaired and deteriorate, resulting in impotence and infertility, sometimes irreversible. Females also have high risk of developing breast cancer.

PREGNANCY & UNBORN BABIES
Drinking during pregnancy significantly increases chance of delivering a baby with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome; small head, possible brain damage, abnormal facial features, poor muscle tone, speech and sleep disorders, and retarded growth and development.

BONES
Alcohol interferes with body's ability to absorb calcium resulting in bones being weak, soft brittle, and thinner (Osteoporosis).