The Molecule of More

THE MOLECULE OF MORE

one side of a tennis court. There’s plenty of room there, and when the
vaporized cocaine hits  the  lungs, it  goes  right into  the  bloodstream and 
up to the brain. It’s a steep slope—a sudden burst—and a big hit to the
dopamine system.
The link between a rapidly rising blood level and dopamine release
is also why addicts progress to injecting drugs into their veins. Other
routes of administration no longer give them the thrill they’re after.
Injecting drugs is scary, though, and is a clear sign of an addict, so the
stigma and fear of the needle may stop many of them from progressing
further. Unfortunately, smoking gets the drug into the brain about as
fast as intravenous injection. Smoking also lacks the stigma associated
with needles. As a result, many would-be casual users of cocaine pro-
gress to life-destroying addiction. The same thing happened with meth-
amphetamine when it became available in smokable form.

DRUNK VERSUS HIGH:

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

There’s a big difference between being high and being drunk,

but not everyone knows that. Even fewer understand why.

An evening of drinking feels best at the start. The level

of alcohol is rising rapidly, and that feels good—it’s dopa-

minergic euphoria, directly related to how fast the alcohol

gets into the brain. As the night goes on, though, the rate

of increase slows down, and dopamine turns off. Euphoria

gives way to drunkenness. The early stage of rising levels of

alcohol might be characterized by increased energy, excite-

ment, and pleasure. Intoxication, on the other hand, is char-

acterized by sedation, poor coordination, slurred speech,

and bad judgment. The speed with which alcohol gets into

the brain determines how high a drinker feels. It’s the total

amount of alcohol consumed, regardless of whether it’s fast

or slow, that determines the level of intoxication.