Cocaine
[kəʊˈkeɪn]
What is it?
Cocaine is a powerfully addictive psychoactive, stimulant drug. Cocaine originates from coca leaves, and has been used for centuries in a variety of cultural applications. The pure drug is extracted from the erythroxylon coca bush, primarily found in South America. The purified chemical, cocaine hydrochloride, was isolated from the bush more than 100 years ago. In the 1900’s, cocaine was an active ingredient in many elixirs, tonics, and Coca-Cola products.
Today, cocaine is available in the United States as a legal prescription for local anesthesia. It is more commonly known as Goprelto or Numbrino.
What does it look like?
Cocaine looks like a fine, white powder. Prior to use it is typically shaped into lines. Crack cocaine however is a light brown color, and has a pellet like structure that is not water-soluble.
What are some other names for cocaine?
Popular nicknames for cocaine include but are not limited to: blow, coke, crack, flake, nose candy, powder, rock, and snow.
How is it used?
Cocaine can be injected, inhaled by snorting or sniffing, smoked or rubbed into your membranes. A popular method of injection includes a combination of cocaine and heroin, called speedball. A popular method of smoking the cocaine by sprinkling it on marijuana or tobacco to smoke it like a cigarette.
What are the effects of the drug?
Effects on the mind:
- Anger
- Anxiety
- Delirium
- Depression
- Hallucinations
- Panic
- Paranoia
- Trouble concentrating
Effects on the body:
- Chest pain
- Fatigue
- Increased heart rate
- Increased hunger
- Increased sweating or body temperature
- Nausea and or vomiting
- Nerve pain or muscle spasms
- Seizures
- Tremors
An overdose often leads to stroke or heart attack.
What is its federal classification?
Cocaine is a Schedule II drug. This means that there is high potential for abuse and its use potentially leads to severe psychological or physical dependence.
