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Cocaine drug treatment

   Cocaine, the most potent stimulant of natural origin, is extracted from leaves of the coca plant (Erythroxylon). It was originally used in South America in the mid 19th century by natives of the region to relieve fatigue. Pure cocaine (cocaine hydrochloride) was first used as a local anesthetic for surgeries in the 1880s and was the main stimulant drug used in tonics and elixirs for drug treatment of various illnesses in the early 1900s. Crack, the freebase form of cocaine, derives its name from the crackling sound made when heating the sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) or ammonia used during production. Crack became popular in the mid-1980s because of its immediate high and its inexpensive production cost.

   Cocaine most often appears as a white crystalline powder or an off-white chunky material. Powder cocaine is commonly diluted with other substances such as lactose, inositol, mannitol and local anesthetics such as lidocaine to increase the volume of the substance and the profits of the drug dealer. Powder cocaine is usually snorted or dissolved in water and injected. Crack, or "rock," is most often smoked.

   The effects of cocaine normally occur immediately after ingestion and can last from a few minutes to hours. The duration of the drug's effects depends on how it is ingested. Snorting cocaine produces a slow onset of effects that can last from 15 to 30 minutes, while the effects of smoking cocaine last from 5 to 10 minutes and produce a more intense high. Cocaine produces euphoric effects by building up dopamine in the brain, causing the continuous stimulation of neurons.

   Users often feel euphoric, energetic, talkative and mentally alert after taking small amounts of cocaine. Cocaine use can also temporarily lessen a user's need for food or sleep. Short-term physiological effects include constricted blood vessels, dilated pupils, increased temperature, heart rate and blood pressure. Ingesting large amounts of cocaine can intensify the user's high, but can also lead to bizarre, erratic and violent behavior. Users who ingest large amounts may experience tremors, vertigo, muscle twitches and paranoia. Other possible effects of cocaine use include irritability, anxiety and restlessness.

   Cocaine is a powerfully addictive drug. A tolerance is often developed when a user, seeking to achieve the initial pleasure received from first use, increases the dosage to intensify and prolong the euphoric effects.

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