Professor of medicine at the University of Oslo, Thomas Clausen and Marit Edland-Gryt, sociologist and researcher at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, answer you directly in the news podcast Ekko pår and on news.no on Thursday 5 September from 10.00-13.00. You can ask Clausen and Edland-Gryt your questions about cocaine right now by scrolling down in this case. – What is it about cocaine that makes many people seem to downplay the dangers of using it? – Cocaine is a drug in the “central stimulant” group and you want to feel invigorated and happy, says Thomas Clausen. He explains that being drunk often makes you feel cool and ready to party. – With a simple moderate intake, you will often not feel a strong letdown or “hangover”, as you can after alcohol. In higher doses, alcohol can lead to fatigue and the feeling of lethargy while intoxicated. Many young people can probably find that cocaine intoxication is cool and you manage to hold out at a party. The party will be “fun”, he says to news. – Based on interviews with young adults, it may seem that in the short term it is perceived that cocaine causes fewer side effects than, for example, heroin and amphetamine, and also MDMA. This can probably cause some young people to downplay the degree of danger, says Marit Edland-Gryt in FHI. Follow the podcast Ekko ask in news Radio and send us tips about matters you would like to know more about. Dangerous side effects ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS: Thomas Clausen, professor at UiO and expert on drugs and addiction. Photo: Kristin Ellefsen / © UiO/Kristin Ellefsen After several high-profile cases such as the Sophie Elise case in 2023 and the Borg Høiby case recently, cocaine has received widespread attention in the media. – But how dangerous is it really to take some cocaine at a party, compared to, for example, drinking a lot of alcohol before going out? – All drugs will have “intended and unintended effects” or main effect and side effect. Alcohol and cocaine have some different and some similar effects. Cocaine will primarily have harmful effects on the body’s circulatory system, i.e. the heart and blood vessels. The pulse increases, the blood pressure increases and you can get a heart rhythm disorder. In the worst case, you can have a heart attack or cerebral haemorrhage in cocaine intoxication. You can also experience overheating or convulsions, says Clausen. He says cocaine can also affect the psyche in that it can lead to anxiety and depression symptoms after use. – Becomes uncritical RESEARCHER ON COCAINE: Sociologist, Marit Edland-Gryt at FHI. Photo: FHI / FHI – Some may also experience symptoms of psychosis. This means that there are many effects of cocaine, which can come in addition to the “feeling of intoxication” you seek when you take the drug, he says. He also says that the drug can make many people overestimate themselves. – The addictive experience one seeks for cocaine is typically that one feels good, perhaps even invincible, and gains increased self-confidence. However, it is the case that the experience and that feeling do not connect with abilities and actual presentations. You tend to become more uncritical, and are exposed to injuries or accidents, or that you may commit abuse or violence against others, says Thomas Clausen. What do you wonder about cocaine? Ask the experts Thomas Clausen and Marit Edland-Gryt here: Hello! Welcome to dialogue at news. Since you are logged in to other news services, you do not have to log in again here, but we need your consent to our terms of use for online dialogue Published 04.09.2024, at 22.08 Updated 04.09.2024, at 22.33
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– Many feel cool and invincible – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
