Cocaine : A Dangerous Drug

Cocaine, a narcotic drug that took the entire world by storm in the 1980’s, has continued to find it’s way into countries all over the world. The drug is a highly addictive stimulant that is extracted from the leaves of the Erythroxylon coca bush, which is indigenous to the Andean highlands of South America. It comes in two main forms, powder and crystalline, also known as “crack” (“Cocaine Use and Its Effects”). Although the short term effects of cocaine seem somewhat harmless, the long term effects are devastating and have ruined the lives of many users. The short and long term effects of cocaine can be seen on Ishmael Beah, and his companions in the novel A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah.

The long term effects of cocaine are very extreme. Once having tried cocaine, an individual may have difficulty controlling the urge to use the drug and the perspective might change leaving the consumption of the drug as primordial. Cocaine’s stimulant and addictive effects are due primarily as a result of its ability to stop the reabsorption of dopamine by nerve

Cocaine is one of the oldest, most powerful and most dangerous stimulants in the world. This powerfully addictive drug effects over 35 million people In the United States. Cocaine addiction prevents a person from being a productive member in our society. It also increases the cost for law enforcement and treatment facilities. It rapidly decreases the workplace, increases the homeless rate and needless deaths on a daily basis.

"Cocaine and crack are among the most addictive substances known to modern science, and they have already ruined the lives of millions of Americans" (Morganthau and Miller, 208). Cocaine and crack are both dangerous, harmful drugs. Though pleasurable effects can be obtained from these drugs, the use of crack and cocaine cannot be worth the actual consequences that are inflicted on mind and body. The bad effects of these drugs, by far outweigh the good. Because crack and cocaine are so closely related, it is important to have a firm understanding of both drugs.

The coca leaves used to make cocaine has played a large part in our history. However, crack cocaine was not synthesized until the 1970s when cocaine was very popular. Then came a source of a new drug, crack cocaine which swept the nation of America. Due to an immense influx of cocaine, the value decreased predominantly, though it was still considered a drug for the high class. So when crack hit, mainly in the inner cities, it took a drastic turn for the

Cocaine originated from South America, from coca leaves. Originally, the coca leaves were chewed by workers to decrease fatigue, improve endurance and have a greater resistance to the cold. This was to benefit the workers so they could work longer hours and be more productive. In 1855 the active ingredient in cocaine was isolated from the leaves, and in 1880 it was used as a local anesthetic (Nunes,2006). It was also used in coca cola. In 1855, coca cola was a soda beverage that contained sixty milligrams of cocaine for every eight ounces of the beverage. The idea behind this was to give people energy and a sense of well being (Nunes, 2006). By the late 1880s Sigmund Freud was using cocaine regularly and was even recommending it to others.

One of the most detrimental and addictive narcotics in the world today is cocaine. Cocaine dates back as early as 3000 BC. Ancient Incas used the coca leaves to counter the effects of living in thin mountain air. Native Peruvians in the 1500’s chewed the plant strictly for religious ceremonies. Andean Indians are believed to chew the leaves of the coca plant to increase their energy for work while decreasing their hunger and pain. It wasn’t until 1859 when a German chemist Albert Niemann successfully extracted the narcotic from the coca leaf. In the 1880’s, it was freely prescribed by physicians for “maladies as exhaustion, depression, and morphine addiction and was available in many patent medicines” (“Cocaine”), until users and doctors began to realize its dangers and side effects. While it was not fully understood at the time, cocaine has many devastating and lasting effects on the user.

When most people think of cocaine they mainly think of this drug being very powerful and addicted, and “cocaine is found in all

Cocaine Hydrochloride in the early 20th century was used in many ways. Some may say that small doses were added to the drink Coca Cola, that’s where the name come from. I feel as if this is true because Coca Cola is slightly addictive. The original formula of coca cola did have 25mg of cocaine per 100ml of drink. That formula was used as a stimulant for headaches. Cocaine Hydrochloride was an ingredient in patent medicines, tonics, elixirs, and fluid extracts. With the right amount it could save and cure you but if you were given more than needed you would get addicted. Doctors knew what would happen to a patient if they were given to much therefore they created something called the Harrison Narcotic Act of 1914.

Cocaine is a drug that is derived from the coca plant. It is a powerful stimulant that is very addictive. The freebase form of this drug that can be smoked is often referred to as crack. This drug first hit the streets during the 1980s.

The substance of cocaine has affected the people in a negative way, causing the government to ban the substance and making it illegal for anyone who uses the illegal drug. John Brooks, PhD and MD states information about the making of cocaine and how it came about, “in the late 1800 's cocaine was introduced to the US and it was consumed by dissolving in a fluid and either drinking or injecting it… crack is created by mixing the hydrochloride form of cocaine with baking soda and water and then evaporating the water.” The product cocaine comes in two different forms, powder and crack, but are the same substance. Cocaine really originated from coca trees, Cocaine is extracted from the coca plant (Erythroxyium coca from South America accounts for 95% of worldwide productions). Influences from South America introduced cocaine into the U.S. The existence of cocaine, formed from a single plant devastated America and would later increase prison populations. Although, prisons were split by age, crime, and sex, another factor formed; cocaine. Cocaine is presented as a powder and crack and has two different sentences depending on its form, although they are the same drug.

Today, cocaine have killed a lot people and trying to reduce the death toll should be our main focus. Its sad to say that over the years the damage drugs have done to the society have been crucial but comparing the past to this very day I can say there's still along way to go but for now we have to see that cocaine is still a severe addictive drug that affects everyone's lives. However, some people may say it only affected the people who let it take over their lives. Moreover, death is the impact from this substance.

If you don’t know what cocaine is , it is a highly addictive stimulant that is pleasurable but dangerous short term effects on the body, that eventually will cause a long term ramification. The problems referring towards cocaine abuse has an international effect, therefore cocaine is a problem that society can’t ignore.

Cocaine like most drugs is very addictive. Cocaine has different names though too, such as coke, flake, snow, blow, white, toot, base, basa, powder, dust, big rush, pearl, candy. Cola, C, big flakes, nose candy, baseball, pump, line, rail, snow, stash,and yeyo. All these different names are so they don't get caught buying/selling drugs. It's like a code name. Cocaine became the drug we know today in 1859. It was extracted from coca leaves. The boom (When it became more popular) was in the 1970’s, and the 1980’s. According to http://www.drugfreeworld.org it says “Cocaine is the second most trafficked illegal drug in the world.” which means it is highly dangerous and addictive. In 2007 it was said that around 1.5 million people were found guilty

Cocaine comes in two forms powdered and freebase that each provide their own methods of consumption, and the intensity and duration of the high that Cocaine produces depends on whether