PSA for health class

1. The Perils of Cocaine
PSA

2. The Facts
 About 2.1 million Americans are
regular users of cocaine.
 In the US, the age group of 18 to 25
have the highest rates of cocaine.
 Each year, over 400,000 babies are
born being addicted to cocaine in the
US.
 It is estimated that about 2,500
people a day try cocaine for the first
time.

3. The History
 Natives of South America had been
chewing on the eryrthroxylon coca, or
the coca leaf, for years. The natives
claimed that it gave them energy,
and Spanish sailors who had come
thought that it had come from the
Devil. However, the coca leaf soon
became an item associated with
drinking and having a good time,
making the product famous.

4. The Forms
 Cocaine is also known as crack
because of the cracking noise it
makes when dissolved in water.
 Cocaine was once used as an
anesthetic and in Coca Cola products.
 Cocaine comes in crushed, pill,
dissolved, smoked, or injected form.

5. Short Term Effects
 Feelings of pleasure
 Restlessness
 Aggressiveness
 Hallucinations
 Itching
 Increase in body temperature
 Increase in heart rate

6. Long Term Effects
 Addiction
 Brain Damage
 Heart Attack
 Death
 Tooth Decay
 Degrades Cartilage
 Other Serious Diseases

7. Amount of Use
 The usage of cocaine has gone down in
the US since the 1990s.
 With the world consuming
approximately 600 tons of cocaine a
year, the US consumes half, while
Europe consumes 150 tons, and the
rest of the world consume 150 tons as
well.
 The cocaine market is still stable, but
has decreased in value.

8. Why You Shouldn’t Use It
 Cocaine is a very dangerous and
highly addictive drug. Sure, it may
feel good at first, but it can cause
your life to get a lot worse if you are
using it to escape from your
problems. You should face your
problems rather than escaping. And
also, there are cooler ways to party.

9. Sources
 http://facts.randomhistory.com/2009/07/
 http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/factsheets
 http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/d
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocaine