Cocaine is a powerful and highly addictive drug and can be taken into the body by snorting, injecting, and smoking (crack cocaine).
Let’s take a closer look at this drug:
20 Random Facts About Cocaine
- Cocaine is extracted from the leaves of the coca (Erythroxylon coca) bush, which was first found in the Andes mountains of South America.
- The coca leaves have been chewed and eaten for thousands of years by the native Incas in the Andes because of the euphoric effects the drug brings. They believe that the coca plant was a gift from their gods.
- It is the most powerful stimulant found in nature. It affects the central nervous system in many ways, such as constricting the blood vessels, increasing temperature and heart rate, causing high sense of alertness, high energy, self-confidence, and sense of power.
- Cocaine affects the brain by activating the nerve cells and releasing dopamine, which is associated with the brain’s reward system and causes perception of pleasure and alertness. Cocaine inhibits the natural transport of dopamine so it stays active in the brain, causing a longer and more intense sense of euphoria.
- Cocaine is known by a variety of names: coke, blow, C, nose candy, marching powder, and many more.
- Pure cocaine was first extracted in 1859 from the leaves of the coca plant. This was then used and marketed in fortified wines in France as early as 1863.
- It was in the 1880s when cocaine was first used in the US. Then it was used as an anesthetic for operations in the eyes, nose, and throat. However, it became obsolete when safer drugs were developed.
- In 1884, William Halsted was the first American physician who performed surgery using cocaine as an anesthetic. Incidentally, he was the first-ever recorded cocaine-addicted physician.
- Cocaine hydrochloride is the purified chemical form of the coca plant, and it was the main active ingredient in many tonics produced in the early 1900s. These tonics were used to treat a variety of illnesses such as asthma and depression.
- The Tucker’s Asthma Specific is a tonic produced in the 1900s that contained 420 milligrams of cocaine for every ounce of the medicine.
- The original formulation of popular soft drink, Coca Cola, contained nine milligrams of cocaine per serving. It also contains caffeine, which makes it a strong stimulant. However, in 1903, cocaine was removed from the drink’s ingredients, but a cocaine-free extract of the coca leaf is still used to flavor the soda.
- Cocaine was outlawed in 1914, but became popular again in the late 1970s as a drug used by middle and upper-middle class Americans.
- Crack cocaine appeared in the mid-80s and was popular among poor and young users because of its inexpensive price.
- Cocaine is almost always mixed with other extenders to increase quantity and maximize profit. Extenders or additives include lactose, lidocaine, talcum powder, cornstarch, and sugar.
- Crack cocaine addiction: Smoking crack cocaine is the faster way for the drug to enter the bloodstrean, therefore bringing the user to a euphoric state much faster than when it is snorted. However, the following “crash” is much more intense.
- Annually, more than 400,000 babies are born with cocaine addiction in the US.
- Approximately 10% of people who begin to use cocaine will more likely to immediately progress to heavy use and cocaine addiction.
- Four out of five one-dollar bills in circulation have trace amounts of cocaine. However, this is due to cocaine being a fine powder that can easily be spread around.
- Cocaine is the most reported illicit substance associated with drug abuse fatalities and causes three times more deaths than any other illegal drug. However, prescription drugs has recently passed cocaine as the leading cause of drug-related deaths.
- After marijuana, cocaine is the second most commonly abused drug in the US.
If you know someone who is struggling with cocaine addiction, please seek help. Cocaine is a highly addictive substance and can cause fatalities. Call or text our confidential helpline at 09175098826.
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