- Relapse to drug abuse is thought to result, in many cases, from exposure to cues that trigger drug-related memories or emotional associations for example, the association between the sight of a crack pipe and a set of responses such as rapid heartbeat and desire for cocaine. This type of memory is reconsolidated (actively re-stored) each time it is reactivated; however, the reconsolidation process can be disrupted by the drug propranolol, which weakens the link between that memory and an emotional response.