What is Cocaine?

• More than 5000 years old, cocaine is naturally extracted from the leaves of cocoa shrub which was originally found in South Africa especially in Peru and Bolivia.
• There the natives ate coco leaves to protect themselves from cold, hunger and fatigue.
• Cocaine has medicinal properties and is effective in depression, addiction, lethargy, headache, abdominal pain, menstrual cramps, anesthetic, brain tonic, etc.
• Around the world it is the most abused major stimulant drug.
• It is a very strong drug that directly hits the brain.
• It looks like a crystalline white powder or common white salt.
• It is soluble in water and has a very high melting point.

Consumption

• There are 2 basic forms of cocaine- Hydrochloride Salt and “freebase”.
• The most common method of consuming cocaine is snorting and sniffing.
• The Hydrochloride salt can be dissolved in water and alcohol and can be injected intravenously.
• It cannot be smoked because of its high melting point. Various common addictives are added in cocaine and techniques such as crack or free basing are done, by doing this it becomes heat resistant and can be smoked.
• If swallowed directly it can lead to sudden death.
• Cocaine is also consumed mixed with other illicit drugs such as heroin, codeine, LSD, hashish, etc.

Effects of COCAINE

• Cocaine has strong negative effects on our entire body. It effects the body both mentally and physically. It has both short term and long term impacts.
• The user experiences a complete change in his/her behavior.
• If consumed with alcohol or snorting, the effect lasts from 1-3 hours. If injected, or taken through cigarette or inhalation, the effect is immediate but lasts only 30-40 minutes.

Short Term Effects of COCAINE

• Shortly after consumption, one experiences a good or high feeling for a brief time.
• Less fatigue, more mental alertness, hyper stimulation, confidence, and supremacy can also be experienced.
• But soon after there is an increase in the blood pressure, body temperature and heart rate, dilation of pupils, nausea and vomiting.
• Restlessness, irritability, psychosis, erratic or violent behavior can also be observed.

In some extreme cases, it can even lead to death.

Long Term Effects of COCAINE

• BRAIN

• Short supply of blood in the brain which is caused by consumption of cocaine causes strokes, seizures, auditory hallucination, etc.

• HEART

• Cocaine has a very bad effect on the heart.
• Its consumption increases the heart rate, blood pressure, chest pain and chances of sudden heart attack, cardiac arrest, angina, deadly heart rhythm increases manifold.

17. LUNGS and RESPIRATORY System

• Loss of sense of smell, nose bleeding, runny nose, frequent sneezing, hole inside the nose, inflamed nasal passage, nasal perforation, damaged sinus, respiratory infections, failure of respiratory system, nasal seizure followed by respiratory arrest, permanent lung damage, etc.

17. GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT

Ulcers, perforation of the stomach or the intestine, severe abdominal pain, nausea, loss of appetite, weight loss, malnutrition.

• KIDNEY

• Jaundice, sudden kidney failure due to high BP caused by the regular use of cocaine.

17. SEXUAL FUNCTION can cause delayed or impaired ejaculation, risk of HIV and hepatitis.
17. PREGNANCY

• Complication in conception, increased rate of miscarriage, birth defects, still birth, low weight, malformation, placenta abruption, abnormal behavior of the newborn, etc.

17. PSYCHOLOGICAL

• Increased dependence on the drug, depression, delusion, hallucination, psychosis, paranoia, anxiety, restlessness, irritability, mood swings, sleeplessness, isolation from family and friends, homicidal thoughts.

Street Names/Slangs

• Cocaine is popularly known as the drug of celebrities, fashion models, wall street traders and the rich.
• It is the “caviar” of recreational drugs, champagne of drugs, gold dust, Cadillac of drugs, status stimulant, yuppie drug, flake, snow, toot, blow, nose candy, her, she, lady flake, liquid lady, speed ball, crack, rock, freebase, coke(most common name), “C”, etc.

Conclusion

• Like any other addiction, cocaine too affects a person’s social life, education, career, psychological and physical health.
• Early detection and treatment can prevent a lot of damage.
• As a responsible parent or an employer, if one is suspected of using cocaine, the doubt can be cleared by simply using the “Cocaine test card”.