Violence cocaine

Chermack ST, Blow FC Violence among individuals in substance abuse treatment the role of alcohol and cocaine consumption. Drug Alcohol Depend 66 29—37, 2002... 

Without a doubt, the criminality associated with use of drugs such as heroin and cocaine, is an important aspect of these children s vulnerability since it exposes them to violence and to dangerous people. However it is not the whole of it. The heart of the problem for children is that they come second to their parents relationship with drugs, and as a result they miss out on many of the most mundane, yet also the most valued, nurturing experiences. The next and final section comes full circle to the compulsivity at the heart... 

The main intermediate country of cocaine shipments to North America is Mexico. The Mexican authorities have intensified their interdiction efforts, resulting in cocaine seizures more than doubling, from 13 mt in 2002 to 30 mt in 2005.5 However, drug-related violence has also increased, with some 2000-2500 drug-related homicides in 2006s. 

The systemic violence often associated with the trafficking of heroin and cocaine has not been found with hallucinogen trafficking. This may be due in part to the observation that hallucinogens are relatively inexpen-... 

Some of the old laws, such as those that closed opium dens, were enacted before much was known about how drugs affect the human body. The Harrison Narcotic Act was adopted in 1914 amid fears of violence from drug-addicted minorities and criminals. It was meant to regulate the sale of opium and cocaine, but the legislation ultimately banned most mind drugs for all but medical use. 

Fourth, as an expert in criminal and civil cases, I have studied the lives of many individuals who—under the influence of psychoactive drugs such as SSRIs, nonselective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (NSRIs), and benzodiazepines—have committed acts of aggression that were wholly alien to their character and antithetical to their prior behavior. It is, of course, well known that the illegal use of stimulant drugs, such as meth-amphetamine and cocaine, can be associated with paranoid reactions and violence. 

The Maternal Lifestyle Study has reported that the prevalence of adverse perinatal complications associated with the use of cocaine or opiates during pregnancy was lower than has been previously reported (249). In 11 811 mother-infant pairs followed prospectively, 11% of the exposed and non-exposed groups were hospitalized at least once. However, violence was a factor (20%) in admissions among the cocaine-exposed women. 

This review generated responses from other authorities in the field. Some commented that the conclusions may be premature, given the age of the subjects, and drew attention to several studies that have shown subtle but consistent deficits in cognitive and attentional processes in 6-and 7-year-old children (302). These effects may become more prominent as development continues and may persist into adulthood. Others criticized the attempt to isolate cocaine exposure from all other associated risk factors from a public health perspective, prenatal cocaine exposure clusters with other risk factors, such as poor caregiving, child maltreatment, domestic violence, and prenatal exposure to other substances (303). Furthermore, the selection criteria narrowed the total articles reviewed to under half of the 74 articles found. Others suggested that the study had been misinterpreted (304). 

The present atmosphere is even more charged, making calm discussion still less common. Since this book first appeared, supplies of drugs, especially cocaine, have increased criminal violence associated with drugs and drug prohibition has intensified and spread and although more people than ever arc in trouble with drugs, there are fewer facilities to treat them. 

Much of the research on drugs and crime has concerned heroin. Most crimes committed by heroin addicts are either violations of the drug laws or ways to get money to buy more heroin. Therefore, the addict s most commonly committed crimes are burglary, larceny, assault, and other street crimes. These crimes are indeed serious and sometimes result in injury or death to the victims. The direct intent of the crime is not to harm the victim, however, but to get money. This same motive probably applies to much of the violence related to cocaine, and to conflicts over money among cocaine dealers and their customers. 

So the paranoid psychosis produced by cocaine and amphetamine overdose is properh called stimulant psychosis. By the late 1960s, the word was out on the street— Speed kills What was referred to in this slogan was not just death by overdose. Amphetamine overdose deaths did occur, but they were relatively rare. Far more common was the development of a paranoid state that often led to acts of violence. In addition, after a long binge of amphetamine abuse, the user may crash (sleep for an extended period) and then awaken deeply depressed. The depression could last for days and is now recognized as a common withdrawal symptom after hca%7 use of either amphetamine or cocaine. The depression often leads the user back to drugs to try to get up again, and the cycle is repeated. Eventually the user s physical and mental health deteriorates badly unless he or she can break out of the cycle. 

At her parents and Donald s urging, Connie returned to her apartment. No further violence occurred until after Robert s birth. At that time, Donald began using cocaine every weekend and often became violent when he was high. 

Thus far, the information presented certainly indicates that the NDCS activities in the supply reduction area have failed and that some of the results have actually been harmful. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that at least some of the activities have been inappropriate. Specifically, crop eradication seems to hurt farmers in poor countries. The use of pofice and military to fight drug cartels has increased violence and instabifity in Latin America. In spite of the bilhons of dollars spent each year to reduce the supply of illegal drugs, neither the price, nor the purity, or availabifity of cocaine, heroin, marijuana, or methamphetamine has been impacted. Why ... 

Your concern should increase when anyone has a history of violence. Be particularly worried if their current presentation is similar to previous times when they were aggressive. For exanple, if someone assaulted their mother when previously psychotic and using cocaine, you d be worried to learn they re angry with their mum, psychotic and using drugs. See p478 for violence risk factors. 

The UNODC projects that the number of users of synthetic drugs will soon exceed the combined number of cocaine and opiate users. Inappropriate and extended use of any controlled substance can lead to devastating health outcomes. Moreover, the illicit drug trade fuels crime and violence and can destabilize whole communities. Analytical techniques to accurately identify illegal drugs, precursor chemicals, and new drug derivatives are crucial to law enforcement efforts to curb the production, trafficking, and consumption of controlled substances. 

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