Cocaine Performance Link Kicked Into Touch

Reports in Britain's tabloids linking numerous football players with cocaine prompted the Observer to dig up research into cocaine's supposed performance boosting properties this week, which suggested any benefits are all in the mind.

The broadsheet turned to a paper published by Dr Gary Wadlet of the American College of Sports Medicine in 2000 which declared "there is no evidence of cocaine enhancing performance'.

"Sometimes behavioural changes are observed with athletes, who may show up for practise early or late- or miss it entirely, or have altercations with team mates," he continued. "Feelings of grandiosity may distort the athlete's perception of actual performance."

Dr Wallet's findings followed earlier research into cocaine inspired delusions which suggested heavy users could eventually end up tackling imaginary bugs and flashing lights ("snow lights') rather than rival sportsmen.

"Prolonged use of cocaine may lead to development of tactile hallucinations also known as formication), in which patients feel that bugs are crawling on or under their skin," a text book called Cocaine (and crack): neurobiology' declared in 1992,

"Foraging behaviour, involving compulsive searching for pieces of crack cocaine in locations where it was once used, has been reported by some long-term users," it pointed out.
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