As a counselor both in class and in online alcohol awareness classes my students and I often discuss the cost of alcohol and how much money they spend on a daily, weekly, monthly or annual basis on booze. As a side-bar to this discussion, we discuss how a huge increase in price might affect their drinking habits. This article will address the amount of cash spent on alcohol as well as how excise taxes on booze affect alcohol consumption.

Are You Kidding Me? I Spend That Much?

Believe me when you read this – if you drink alcohol regularly, you spend a lot of money on booze! This is true even if you drink cheap or inexpensive liquor.

In my alcohol awareness class last month one of my students, “Gene”, a 50-year-old construction worker swore he didn’t have a problem, and furthermore, didn’t spend much on alcohol. He wanted to “prove me wrong”. He only had a “couple” of drinks per day, always at night and “never” drinks and drives (he was taking the course for public intoxication). It turns out his two drinks are quite powerful, packing ½ pint of vodka in each. Drinking one $7 pint per day turned into $50 a week and $2,600 per year.

How Much Do You Spend?

To some, $2,600 in after tax money may seem like a lot. Another time I ask you to believe me, that is nothing compared to what most alcoholics spend! » Read more: Do Excise Taxes Curb Drinking?

Cocaine users can now add the purplish sores, dead skin and infections caused by Levamisole wormer to the other numerous side effects stemming from the use of cocaine. The detrimental side effects of cocaine use overrides the short quick high it produces.

Purpura are purple or red lesions caused by bleeding under the skin, and are often as large as 10mm. Cocaine usage constricts the blood vessels which in turn causes the blood vessels to become plugged and therefore the blood can not flow. This leads to painful build up of blood pockets and dying skin causing the purplish and red sores. Levamisole also causes a low blood count, called agranulocytosis, which raises the risk of infection.

The reporting that Levamisole will increase the dopamine levels in the brain increasing the pleasure and reward centers have caused cocaine dealers to cut the cocaine with Levamisole to possibly prolong the users high or even possibly enhance it. The user then buys the cocaine not knowing what it is laced with and the usage starts to break down the immune system.

The cocaine user should take these thoughts into consideration if they know that their cocaine is laced with Levamisole:

If it causes blood vessel blockage to the point it builds up blood pockets on the outside of the skin, what is it doing to your heart and brain vessels? » Read more: Levamisole Tainted Cocaine Identified As Causing Purpura Sores