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Cocaine binge depicts struggle
By Brandon Siem
Cocaine is sniffed behind a locked bathroom door at a SCSU party. Cocaine is smoked on tinfoil behind the bushes. It is done in the dorms and it is done on the streets. It is quick, quiet, and one of the easiest drugs to hide.
According to SCSU Health Services, cocaine is a powerfully addictive drug that has affected over 1.4 million Americans. Cocaine is the primary drug abused by individuals who enter drug treatment, accounting for 61 percent of treatment admissions.
SCSU Health Service's drug of the month archive states that when a person has snorted, smoked or injected cocaine, he or she will notice many severe health problems including feelings of anxiety, restlessness, irritability and depression.
It causes headaches, increased heart rate, loss of appetite and seizures. Cocaine can also induce hallucinations, paranoia and aggressive behavior. Most importantly, cocaine's effects are directly related to heart problems, long-term changes in the brain and liver damage.
The archive also claims cocaine causes withdrawal effects that can last days, months and even years. This depends on the dosage, length of use and frequency.
Another significant problem stemming from cocaine is that the stimulation can be so intense that the user needs a downer to take the edge off or even to get to sleep. The most common downers used with cocaine are alcohol, valium and heroin.
The drug gives the user a feeling of euphoria and a state of clarity. It can also make one feel as though they are invincible. When the cocaine effects wear off the user often becomes depressed. Larger amounts are needed to get the same effects as when the person first started. A cocaine binge can last three or more days until the user finally crashes.
The financial burden for a cocaine habit is significant. Many users spend hundreds of dollars a week on cocaine just to feed their habit. Some cocaine users start selling in order to pay for their own habit.
Jim Smith (not his real name) is one of those people. As a 23 year old freshmen at Mankato, Smith started selling drugs in order to pay for his habit. His weekend use soon turned into sleepless binges that lasted three or more days. What was once thought to be a harmless kick became an addiction.
A typical night with Smith is probably more absurd than it would be with most cocaine users, but no less important to document. John Johnson (also not his real name), a volunteer, was sent to observe Smith's daily routines and actions. The following is his account of what happens on a typical night of a cocaine user Smith's caliber. The interview was conducted two weeks ago.
Columbian hurricane
A razor blade clanks as it chops through cocaine that lay on a glass table. Smith stands grinning from ear to ear as he rolls up a bill and prepares to snort a line the size of a snow bank.
Soon after Smith snorts, his eyes light up like a pinball machine and his forehead begins to sweat. He sniffs and hacks as he tries to pull the cocaine deep into his sinuses.
Smith goes to the sink and washes down the "felonies" that are clinging from his nose hairs. He begins to have what cocaine users call "the drip." It causes him to gag, but he seems to enjoy it.
Immediately Smith becomes paranoid of police and of his wife finding out. He hides his scale and his drugs. He frantically locks both doors to the house, runs around shutting all the blinds and turns most of the lights off.
When Smith finally settles down, he and Johnson sit at a table and play cards. Smith is seated so he can observe out a tiny crack in the blinds to see if anyone is coming. The window peeking continues day and night, with Smith only stopping to do another line.
Smith sniffs more cocaine and his paranoia grows. He begins to sweat profusely and places a towel around his neck to wipe his face off.
"He got to the point were he was scared of having a heart attack," Johnson said.
The concern of an overdose quickly fades and Smith begins searching for tinfoil.
"He said he was making a special batch of cookies," Johnson said.
Smith smokes his cocaine on the tinfoil and begins to chain-smoke cigarettes and slam beers. He constantly checks his phone to see if his wife called. His eyes twitch and he cracks his knuckles constantly. Like an obsessive-compulsive, he goes through a timely process of checking and rechecking locked doors and blinds.
"When dawn came Smith had already sniffed and smoked almost an 8-ball (3.5 grams) of cocaine. His hair was a rat's nest and he was a greasy mess. He had to go to court at 8 a.m. to fight a speeding ticket. I told him he should go to bed," Johnson said.
Smith agrees with Johnson and tries to get some sleep before court. However, Johnson is kept awake with periodic strikes of a lighter. Smith smokes his crack-pipe by himself in complete darkness.
"I thought the madness would never stop, but then he left to go to court," Johnson said.
Smith later describes his trip to the courthouse as the scariest thing he ever went through. He suffers morning paranoia and tries to sleep. He tosses and turns in obvious frustration, as noon comes and goes.
Smith decides not go to work because people would notice he is messed up. He decides to stay where he is and sell drugs.
"People showed up throughout the day, and Smith bought and sold drugs," Johnson said.
Johnson said Smith sold quarter grams of cocaine for $25 and half grams for $50. He sold grams for $100 and 8-balls (3.5 grams) for $300. Smith also sold glass, which was slightly cheaper and more middle-aged people purchased the drug. College-aged people seemed to prefer the cocaine.
"Smith picked up his drinking after he got back from court. He drank about a total of a case of beer in the day and half he was doing drugs," Johnson said.
The drugs finally wear off and the alcohol hits Smith all at once. He passes out with his head on the kitchen table cocaine still spread out. His wife calls several times, but Smith doesn't wake up.
"I tried to wake him up, and then I decided to go home," Johnson said.
Eventually Smith's wife finds him and discovers his condition. She is so upset at what she finds that the couple is currently in the process of getting a divorce.
Smith admits that he has not attempted to slow down his cocaine use since his wife found out.
"If she really loved me she would have noticed a long time before now and tried to help me," Smith said.
Smith is another example of a case of a college student going overboard on cocaine. He now hides behind blinds and locked doors. Cocaine has scared him away from society and his only friends are his dealer and his buyers.
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