Unadulterated Cocaine Research Paper

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.

“Cocaine is a naturally occurring chemical found in the leaves of Erythroxylum coca or coca plant, which is native to South America” (Cocaine Hydrochloride). The leaves of the coca plant

Cocaine is a naturally occurring alkaloid found in certain varieties of the coca plant. The plant can grow in widely varied climates and soil conditions, though the highest cocaine content is found in plants that are

Crack cocaine has been popular since the 1970s and mid 1980s. Crack cocaine is not a new drug; this drug is obtained from coca plant which grows mainly in South America. For many years, the native South American Indians chewed its leaves to develop strength and increased energy. By the 1800s, the cocaine was secluded from its leaves and used as a medicinal drug. By the late 1800s, it was used as an anesthetic and to avert surgical hemorrhage. The next century, people recognized crack cocaine an addictive narcotic and its non-medical use of the drug was ended by the Harrison Narcotics Act in 1914 (“How crack cocaine works?”).

Cocaine is a naturally occurring substance deriving from the Erythroxylum coca plant. The coca plant is autogenous to Indonesia, South America, Mexico and the West Indies. Historically, many cultures have utilized coca leaves for religious and ceremonial applications. Cocaine itself remains prevalent in literary and artist works of many cultures and continues to be represented in archeological finds around the world. In South America the leaves were often chewed to help the indigenous tribes overcome hunger. To many other civilizations it was considered a sacred gift from the gods. Cocaine was often used as local anesthetic for a plethora of ailments.

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

The coca leaf does not yield the potency to deliver any type of overwhelming effect. The coca leaf in natural form gives the similar effect that a well caffeinated cup of coffee would (Arts and Entertainment Network). It wasn’t until Albert Niemann, a German scientist, extracted and processed the coca leaf ingredients, would it become a potent drug. In 1860, Niemann would rename the results of his extraction, cocaine (Arts and Entertainment Network).

The commodity chain of coca and cocaine began with the extraction of alkaloidal cocaine from the dried Andean coca leaf. This discovery by German doctoral student Albert Niemann would soon transform cocaine into a world drug commodity. Initially, cocaine was essential as a high-value medical commodity. Medical uses of cocaine included treatment of opiate addiction, hay fever, asthma, or other respiratory ailments. Cocaine’s greatest medical impact in the United States was as a local anesthetic during surgery. In Europe, cocaine’s commodity chain was defined by the coca elixir Vin Mariani developed by Corsican physician and chemist Angelo Mariani. Cultivated by Peruvian and Bolivian peasants living in the Andean Mountains, the coca leaf would be dried and shipped to the United States or Europe for refining. Due to the herb’s

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.

Today, cocaine is commonly derived from the coca plant that is most commonly grown in Columbia but also Peru and Bolivia. It is harvested and processed into a “coca paste” which the base of is extracted and turned into the white powder form of cocaine. Once the powder is made it is often mixed with laundry detergent, laxatives, or boric acid to cut down the potency and have more to distribute. Cocaine can be used snorting, smoking, injecting or swallowed. The United States outlawed cocaine in the early 1920’s but it wasn’t until the 1970’s and middle of the 1980’s that cocaine was at

The Harrison Narcotic Act of 1914 was made and passed to put a restriction on the legal use of the cocaine. This was made because once the patient was cured and well their body was still craving the drug. In the 1930’s the cocaine demand was lower because with this act and the creation of amphetamine. There were still a few people doing cocaine for recreation use. The Harrison Narcotic Act of 1914 was starting to fail in the 60’s as the use of cocaine started to increase again. This time people were not using it to get well. They were using it as recreation then they was going back to their normal lives. It’s almost like people use using it as a hobby therefore it was labeled harmless. It was harmless because only a

To make crack, combine powdered cocaine hydrochloride, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), and water. Mix it up then dry out the paste-like substance that was made from the mixture and when the substance is dry it will be little hard pieces which is nicknamed “rocks”.

After many thousands of years of people chewing on coca leaves from South America to obtain their mildly stimulating effects, the chemical substance, cocaine, is now extracted from that same leaf and is currently classified as a Schedule II drug. Cocaine is a stimulant and can be used legally, in some cases, by medical providers as a type of anesthesia. It is more well-known as an illegal, highly addictive drug that also goes by other names such as coke, snow, and blow. When the chemical cocaine was initially being removed from the coca leaf, more than one-hundred years ago, it was being used as an additive in early medications and in drinks. In the late 1800’s and very early 1900’s cocaine was an ingredient in the popular soda Coca-Cola. In the early 1900’s the addictive nature of products containing cocaine were becoming a concern and

The shrubs and plants from which both drugs are derived from and processed has been well known in Colombia for centuries, but until the 1970s drug refiners and traffickers had not taken full advantage. The chewing of coca

Drugs are often considered only as a public health problem only. This could be true for the consumer countries, but on the other hand, the producers face additional struggles. The cocaine trafficking is the most important security threat in Peru because it is associated with the organized crime and terrorist groups in the country and the region. To understand the problem, I will explain how cocaine trafficking operates in Peru. Next, the essay will analyze the impact and effects that cocaine trafficking has on the country and the region. Finally, I will explain the response from the government, and how this response can be more effective.