Why crack cocaine is addictive and how it harms the body

TORONTO – Toronto Mayor Rob Ford conceded Tuesday that he has smoked crack cocaine.

“Yes, I have smoked crack cocaine,” he told reporters outside of his office after months of allegations of drug abuse dogged the mayor.

“All I can do now is apologize and move on.”

Read more: Mayor Rob Ford admits to smoking crack cocaine

But illicit drugs can be addictive and lethal, including cocaine. Global News compiled information about the drug and its health risks.

Crack cocaine is a “powerfully addictive stimulant” made from the leaves of the coca plant in South America, the U.S. National Institute of Drug Abuse says.

Users feel a short-term euphoria, energy and talkativeness. Their heart rate and blood pressure could tip to dangerous levels, the department says on its website.

Cocaine affects the central nervous system, increasing dopamine in the brain. That chemical is what regulates pleasure in our bodies.

“With repeated use, cocaine can cause long-term changes in the brain’s reward system as well as other brain systems, which may lead to addiction,” the national institute says.

As abusers keep using cocaine, their effects weaken. This could cause users to use more of the drug.

The drug also constricts blood vessels, dilates pupils, and increases body temperature. Users could get headaches, stomach pain and nausea.

Ottawa’s National Anti-Drug Strategy website says users could also deal with paranoid thinking, hallucinations and breathing problems. Long-term effects could be mood swings, violent behaviour, difficulty sleeping and a loss of smell, the website warns.

In serious cases, users can also suffer from heart attacks or strokes. Cocaine-related deaths are usually a result of the heart going into cardiac arrest.

It’s even more dangerous when combined with other drugs and alcohol.