Adverse health consequences of cocaine abuse

Cocaine, despite its high price to the consumer, is becoming the preferred drug of an increasing number of substance abusers in North America and Europe. The dramatic increase in consumption in these areas in recent years has been associated with the appearance of new methods of ingesting the drug, such as smoking of coca paste and cocaine free base. This "epidemic" of drug misuse is already spreading to other parts of the world, bringing in its wake a range of public health and social problems. This book is published as part of a WHO project to examine the adverse health consequences of cocaine abuse. It summaries existing knowledge of the problem of cocaine dependence throughout the world, and reviews the current approaches to treatment. The importance of preventive programmes is emphasized and a brief outline is given of the areas where more research is needed.