Question:
I forgot to include this in my recent post, but I'll just do it separate. I
have no read about any information that says that cocaine causes severe
brain damage. Say I did it one time, will I feel 'stupid' afterwards? I mean
like weed - when I smoke it and after I smoke it I feel 'stupid' and can't
think as well for some time after smoking it. Does cocaine do this too? I
would hate to see a decrease in my ability to think, solve problems, as I
don't allow any drug to effect my grades and ability to do complicated tasks
in life.
Answer:
I'm not sure about powder cocaine, but I remember reading several years ago
that MRI scans of long-term crack addicts showed large holes of dead neurons
throughout the brain.
However, another study I read a while back said that marijuana did NOT cause
permanent brain damage. Apparently, the cannibinoids and other substances
can interfere with neural firing while they are present (thus presumably
causing the "stupid" feeling), but they are quickly removed from brain tissue
and the neurons resume normal functioning. LSD also does not seem to cause
neuron damage, it just messes up the neurotransmitters (sometimes permanently),
but the neural tissue itself is not harmed.
Alcohol has long been known to cause massive neuron death and damage each time
it is consumed. That is why it remains legal while marijuana will land you
in prison.
