Drug; Cocaine
Write about the history of the drug, its uses by humans and some treatment options for those who are addicted or how that drug is beneficial.
Overview
A highly addictive stimulant substance is cocaine. People in South America have been chewing and ingesting coca leaves (Erythroxylon coca), the source of cocaine, for its stimulant effects for thousands of years. 1, 2 More than a century ago, cocaine hydrochloride, a pure chemical, was obtained from the plant.
Purified cocaine served as the primary active component in a large number of tonics and elixirs created in the early 1900s to cure a wide range of ailments. Surgeons used cocaine to numb pain before synthetic local anesthetics were developed. 1 However, studies have now revealed that cocaine is a highly addictive drug that, when taken frequently, may change how the brain develops and functions.
Today, cocaine is classified as a Schedule II substance, which indicates it has a significant abuse potential but can be prescribed by a physician for valid medical purposes, such as local anesthetic for some procedures on the eye, ear, and throat. To boost their earnings, dealers frequently dilute (or “cut”) it with non-psychoactive ingredients like cornstarch, talc, flour, or baking soda. Additionally, they could mix cocaine with substances like procaine, a chemically similar local anesthetic, or amphetamine (another psychoactive stimulant). 2,3 Some drug users mix heroin and cocaine.
The water-soluble hydrochloride salt and the water-insoluble cocaine base are the two chemical forms of cocaine that are misused by users (or freebase). The powdered hydrochloride salt is injected or snorted by users. Cocaine is processed with ammonia or sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and water to generate the base form, which is then heated to destroy the hydrochloride and produce a smokeable material.
