Powder Cocaine

Cocaine is one of the most powerful stimulants found in nature. Though cocaine use was first glamorized in the 1980's via television and through the exploits of the Colombian cocaine cartels, cocaine use is two thousand years old. Cocaine is derived from the coca plant found throughout South America. The first use of the coca plant for it's stimulant properties can be traced to the ancient Incas in Peru. Called the "divine plant", Inca nobility and priests chewed the leaves of the coca plant in order to achieve a trance induced state of consciousness during religious ceremonies. Later, common people began to chew the leaves in order to reduce fatigue and hunger while working.

The Spanish discovered and introduced coca to Europe in the 1500's. A scientist named Albert Neiman was able to isolate cocaine from the coca plant on the mid 1800's. Between 1863 and 1865 an extremely popular and addictive wine and coca product was introduced to the populace marketed under the label "Vin Mariani". The first medical use of cocaine was discovered by Alexander Bennett in 1873. Bennett demonstrated that cocaine could be used as an anesthetic.

The addictive properties of the coca-based stimulant help to fuel it's popularity as a flavoring agent in food and drink. From 1884 to 1905 the abuse of coca soars, and by 1906 there was as much coca leaf shipped to the United States as in 1976. This is extremely telling when you consider that America had half the population in 1906 as compared to 1976. One of the most popular drinks of the early 1900's using the stimulant based flavoring was Coca-Cola (registered trade mark). To curtail the addictive properties of many medicines and soft drinks, the 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act banned the use of cocaine from most of these consumables.

Cocaine is grown in South America on remote farms located it the Andes mountains. Most plants will produce leaves for almost fifty years. The leaves of the coca plant are harvested from three to four times a year. Once harvested, the leaves are taken to iso- lated clandestine laboratories located deep in the jungle. Here the leaves are placed into large in-ground trenches or above-ground vats.

The leaves are treated with salt and covered with gasoline an allowed to sit. The liquid is later drained and further refined into cocaine base. Cocaine base is a pasty substance which can be smoked. Cocaine base is further refined, using hydrochloric acid, into cocaine HCL or powder cocaine. It takes approximately 150 pounds of coca leaves to make one pound of powder cocaine. The final product, powder cocaine, is then distributed into the United States using a variety of smuggling techniques.

Cocaine is still manufactured legally in the United States. A company which is registered by the Federal Government is allowed to import coca leaves into the states. The company then extracts the oil and waxes which are sold as a flavoring agent. The cocaine paste is then shipped to another federally licensed company which then manufactures pharmaceutical cocaine from the cocaine base. This pharmaceutical cocaine is used as a topical anesthetic.

Powder cocaine (cocaine HCL) is inhaled into the nasal passages by abusers. Powder cocaine can also be dissolved in water and injected into the body. Because powder cocaine has a high melting point, the abuser cannot smoke it. In order to smoke powder cocaine, it must first be chemically altered. This chemical process of returning powder cocaine to a smokeable form is called freebasing. Freebasing is a dangerous process for the abuser, as it involves mixing the powder cocaine with a volatile solvent and then heating the mixture over a heat source. Unfortunately for the abuser, sometimes the heat source ignites the solvent causing an explosion which can cause severe injury or death.

The effects of cocaine use are similar to those of amphetamines, only more intense and shorter in duration. The "high" typically lasts only fifteen to twenty minutes. An abuser with a heavy habit can use upwards of five to ten grams a day. Cocaine abuse can cause many physical side effects such as general physical and health failure, heart palpitations, energy loss, swallowing problems, insomnia, respiratory distress, sore throat, unconsciousness, nose bleeds, nasal damage, constant nasal drip, headaches, constant teeth grinding, sinus problems, voice problems, trembling, seizures, nausea, and vomiting.

Along with physical problems, cocaine abuse can create psychiatric effects which may include suicidal behavior, anxiety, irritability, depression, memory loss, blackouts, paranoia, panic states, delusions, poor concentration, compulsive behavior, and loss of interest in friends, appearance, and non-drug related activities.