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COCAINE Cocaine has long been known as a drug of
abuse, but it came into particular prominence in the late 1970s and the
1980s. Cocaine hydrochloride, a water-soluble salt, is a dry white powder
(known on the street as "snow") that is usually inhaled through a
thin tube inserted into the nostril. More rarely, cocaine is injected into a
vein. The drug may also be smoked in a purified form through a water pipe
("freebasing") or in a concentrated form ("crack") shaped
into pellets and placed in special smoking gear. Users experience euphoria,
exhilaration, and a decreased appetite. The drug also increases heart rate,
elevates blood pressure, and dilates the pupils. Chronic use can lead to skin
abscesses, perforation of the septum of the nose, weight loss, and damage to
the nervous system. Negative mental effects include extreme restlessness,
anxiety, irritability, and, occasionally, paranoid psychosis. Death from even
a small dose can occur, and is usually caused by seizures or heart attacks. Cocaine is classified as
a narcotic for legal purposes by the United States government. It causes
strong psychological dependence.
Cocaine, is obtained from leaves of the coca plant (shown in the
caption on the left, along with its powder and rock cocaine derivatives)
and used medically as a local anesthetic. It is also widely abused as a drug.
Native Americans of the Inca Empire chewed coca leaves to obtain mild
euphoria, stimulation, and alertness. The drug was first isolated in 1855 and
came to be used widely as a local anesthetic in minor surgery. At present,
local anesthetics with less abuse potential, such as lidocaine, are commonly
used instead. The caption shows Crack Cocaine as it is sold in many
areas throughout the United States. If you beleave you, a family member or friend, have a
problem with cocaine, try: Cocaine Anonymous and Co-Anon Family Groups
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