Cocaine Information

Cocaine was first extracted from the coca plant around the year 1850. Prior to the isolation of its active ingredient, benzoylmethyl ecognine ( Cocaine), the Coca plant was known for its anesthetic qualities throughout the history of the Incan Empire of Peru. In 1895 cocaine was used by Sigmund Freud, personally, and was administered to patients in the name of treatment. In fact, Sigmund Freud wrote a lesser known dissertation on the coca-plant, its title translated into English is, “On Cocaine.” But, soon after an accidental overdose of cocaine that led to the death of a patient Dr. Freud discontinued prescribing or treating his patients with cocaine. The medicinal use of Cocaine increased throughout the late 19 th century after cocaine’s potential medicinal applications were fully realized when Karl Koller, inspired by Sigmund’s dissertation, used cocaine as an anesthesia on a patient during an operation. After years of liberal use by the medical community, the abuse of cocaine became a problem. Today the medical applications of cocaine are very limited due to the rise of recreational cocaine use and the 1914 Harrison Act that banned a number of newly determined illicit drugs.

There are basically two common chemical forms of cocaine – hydrochloride, which is snorted or injected, and freebase cocaine, which is smoked. Cocaine is a bitter tasting, white, crystalline powder that numbs tissue. The street names for cocaine include: blow, powder, china, china white, yeah, sugar, sweet and high, yeah-yo, bedrock, bazooka, beam, blizzard, caine, candy, nose candy, flake, g-rock, p-dogs, and so-on, etc. Today cocaine is the second most commonly used illegal drug in the United States. Approximately 10 percent of Americans over the age of 12 have tried cocaine at least once during their lifetime. Cocaine prices depend upon the purity of the product. Nationwide, prices ranged from $12,000 to $35,000 per kilogram.

Cocaine is a strong central nervous system stimulant that interferes with the reabsorption of dopamine, a chemical messenger associated with pleasure. Cocaine is an extremely addictive drug once ingested, and is generally “cut” (adding additional ingredient to sell less for more) with baby laxatives (or sometimes sugar or other inert substances) bringing on intestinal disruption when initially ingested. Cocaine can be ingested orally, snorted or injected intravenously.

Some users dub cocaine “more” because that’s all they want after an initial line or hit. Users usually feel an initial "rush" or sense of well-being, of having more energy, and being more alert. This effect quickly wears off, often leaving the user feeling more "down" or depressed than before. This down feeling leads the user to ingest more cocaine, sometimes in an effort just to feel "normal." Over a period of time the dosage of cocaine needed and the frequency of use to get high usually increase because the user’s body adjusts to the intake of cocaine. This leads to more excessive use of cocaine to achieve the “first time high.”

Serious side affects of cocaine include: cocaine induced psychosis, deterioration of sinuses and nasal cavities, heart complications usually leading to respiratory failure, constricted peripheral blood vessels, dilated pupils, increased temperature, ulceration of the mucous membranes and many more. The mixing of cocaine and alcohol creates cocaethylene, thereby, increasing the danger of sudden death. Cocaine-related deaths are often a result of cardiac arrest leading to respiratory failure.

The detoxification period from cocaine usually lasts about three days. There are few if any physical withdrawal symptoms and limited to non-existent dangers involving an unassisted detox. The majority of detoxification units do not administer any type of medication for individuals in their care. Patients report overwhelming compulsions and uncontrollable cravings for cocaine during the first three days and are admitted because of the need for a lock down detoxification facility to keep from satisfying those craving.