Cocaine

Cocaine is a powerful central nervous system stimulant made from the leaves of two coca plants that grow in South America: Erythroxylum coca and E. novogranatense. People have used coca leaves for a long time, but when turned into cocaine, it can strongly affect the body and mind. It is most often used by snorting, injecting, or smoking as crack cocaine, and can make a person feel very excited, alert, and focused for up to 90 minutes.

Even though cocaine was once used as a topical medication and local anesthetic, it is very dangerous and is not used much in medicine today. Using cocaine can cause serious health problems, such as very high blood pressure, seizures, and damage to the brain and nose. Over time, people can become dependent on it and feel very sick when they stop using it.

The growing of coca plants mostly happens in parts of Bolivia, Peru, and Colombia in Latin America, but it is also spreading to other places like Central America. The trade in cocaine has caused violence in many parts of the world, as different groups fight to control it. Even though international rules try to control cocaine, some countries allow small amounts to be kept without punishment.

Uses

Coca leaves have been used by Andean civilizations since ancient times. In ancient Wari culture, Inca culture, and through modern indigenous cultures of the Andes Mountains, coca leaves are chewed or made into a tea. They are also sometimes wrapped in a sachet with alkaline burnt ashes and held in the mouth against the inner cheek. People have used coca leaves to help with feeling cold and altitude sickness, but how well this works is not known.

Many people use cocaine around the world. In 2019, about 20 million people used it. It is most common in Australia, New Zealand, North America, Western and Central Europe, and South and Central America. Since 1961, international law has made recreational use of cocaine a crime. In the United States, cocaine is a controlled substance, meaning it can be used only in certain medical ways. It is sometimes used in medicine as a local anesthetic or to stop bleeding in the mouth, throat, and nose.

Traditional medicine

Coca leaves

Main article: Coca

It is legal to use coca leaves in places like Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina. People there chew the leaves, make tea from them, or add them to food. Coca leaves are often mixed with an alkaline substance like slaked lime and chewed, similar to chewing tobacco. The juices are absorbed by the mucous membrane in the cheek and also when swallowed.

Coca tea

Main article: Coca tea

Llipta is used to improve extraction when chewing coca (Museo de la Coca, Cusco, Peru).

Coca tea is a herbal drink made from coca leaves. Governments in Peru and Bolivia have promoted it as a drink with medicinal powers. In Peru, a state-run company sells coca teas and other products. The tea gives a mild feeling of energy and a slight lift in mood.

In 1986, a report showed that some health food stores in the U.S. sold dried coca leaves as "Health Inca Tea". The label said the leaves were "decocainized", but they had not been. Drinking two cups a day gave a mild energy boost, increased heart rate, and improved mood.

Ypadu

Main article: Ypadu

Ypadú is a powder made from toasted coca leaves and the ash of other plants. It is used by some indigenous tribes in the Northwest Amazon. It has been used for a long time for cultural reasons.

Medical

Karl Koller discovered that cocaine could be used as a local anesthetic, which was a major advance in medicine. Cocaine was once commonly used for this purpose, but other agents are now preferred because of cost, regulations, and its potential for abuse. Cocaine is not on the list of essential medicines, so it is not commonly used in hospitals.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration lists cocaine as a controlled substance, but it can still be used in limited medical ways. However, it is rarely prescribed today because of risks.

Topical

Two cups of coca tea

Cocaine can be used as a topical medication. When used this way, it does not enter the bloodstream much, so it does not cause the effects of recreational use.

Topical anesthetic

Ophthalmological use

Cocaine eye drops have been used by doctors to check for a condition called Horner syndrome. In this condition, the eye does not get signals normally. Cocaine normally makes the pupil widen, but in Horner syndrome, the pupil does not widen as much. However, another medicine now is usually used for this test.

Recreational

For Cocaine or crack cocaine combined with other drugs, see List of polysubstance combinations.

Mambe or ypadu is made from toasted and ground coca leaves with ashes

People using cocaine for fun usually do not take it by mouth because it does not work well that way. Instead, they often snort it or inject it. Cocaine can also be changed into crack cocaine, which can be vaporized.

Cocaine is a central nervous system stimulant. It can make a person feel more alert, happy, energetic, and confident. It can also affect how active a person feels and their sexuality.

Cocaine use often goes together with use of other "party drugs" like MDMA or amphetamine, as well as heroin and benzodiazepines.

Insufflation

Nasal insufflation (commonly called "snorting") is a common way people take cocaine. The drug is absorbed through the lining of the nasal passages. The effects feel good but are delayed by about five minutes because the blood vessels in the nose constrict. Snorting gives the longest-lasting effects, from 60 to 90 minutes. About 30–60% of the cocaine is absorbed through the nose.

Many banknotes have traces of cocaine. In 1994, a court found that three out of four banknotes in Los Angeles had cocaine or another illegal drug on them.

Tools like snuff spoons, hollowed-out pens, cut straws, keys, long fingernails or artificial nails, and tampon applicators are sometimes used to snort cocaine. The drug is usually poured onto a flat surface and divided into lines, then sniffed up.

Cocaine spoon

In the past, snuff spoons were used for cocaine, which is why they are sometimes called "cocaine spoons" or "coke spoons". Some laws treat very small spoons as drug paraphernalia.

Injection

When cocaine is injected, some people feel a ringing in their ears right after, lasting 2 to 5 minutes. The strongest effects are felt in about 3 minutes. The good feelings pass quickly. There are also risks from harmful substances mixed with the cocaine and from infections if clean equipment is not used.

Inhalation

Cocaine paste

Coca paste is a crude mix of the coca leaf that contains a lot of cocaine freebase. It can only be smoked when mixed with something like tobacco. It is sold as a cheaper option in some places.

Crack cocaine

Further information: Crack cocaine

Powder cocaine must be heated to a high temperature to be smoked, which can damage the cocaine. Crack cocaine can be smoked at a lower temperature.

Contraindications

Cocaine should not be used by people who are allergic to it or very sensitive to its effects. It is also not safe for older adults or those who have heart problems.

Pregnancy

Using cocaine during pregnancy can be harmful to both the mother and the baby. It may increase the risk of losing the baby early in pregnancy, cause the baby to be born too early, or result in the baby being smaller than expected. It is important for pregnant women to avoid cocaine to protect their health and the health of their baby.

Breastfeeding

Women who use cocaine should not breastfeed their babies. Cocaine can pass into breast milk and may harm the baby. It is best to avoid using cocaine during pregnancy and while breastfeeding to keep the baby safe.

Adverse effects

Overdose

Interactions

Alcohol

Main article: Cocaethylene

MAOIs

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) should not be mixed with other drugs, such as painkillers or stimulants, unless a doctor says it is safe.

Opioids

See also: [Speedball (drug)](/wiki/Speedball_(drug) and Opioid epidemic in the United States

More people are having severe reactions when they use both opioids and cocaine. This can happen in different places and affect different groups of people. It is not always clear if people plan to use both drugs together. Recent research looks at many types of opioids because patterns of use are changing.

Pharmacology

Cocaine can enter the body in different ways, like through the nose or by mouth. When taken through the nose, it works quickly. When taken by mouth, it takes longer because the body absorbs it differently.

Cocaine can reach the brain and change how it works, creating feelings of energy and excitement. The effects of cocaine usually last about 40 to 60 minutes.

Cocaine can stay in the body for several days after use. Tests can find it in blood, urine, or hair, depending on how often it was used. These tests help doctors and experts learn if and when someone used cocaine.

Chemistry

Forms

See also: Cocaine paste and Crack cocaine § Chemistry

Cocaine looks like a white, shiny powder. It can mix with acids to make different types of salts. The most common salt is called hydrochloride and it dissolves easily in water.

Synthesis

Total synthesis

In 1898, scientists first discovered how cocaine is made and made it in a lab. Making cocaine this way is very hard, expensive, and not very good, so it is rarely done. It is easier to get cocaine from plants.

Biosynthesis

Main article: Biosynthesis of cocaine

Plants called coca naturally make cocaine. Scientists find this interesting because of the special shape of the cocaine molecule.

GMO synthesis

In 2022, scientists found that a special plant could make a small amount of cocaine. But this plant also makes another chemical called nicotine, which makes it hard to get the cocaine.

Field analysis

Sometimes, security checks will test things like ID cards for traces of drugs. Scientists tested tools used by police to find cocaine and found they often do not work well on the types of cocaine people usually find on the street. These tools can sometimes give wrong results. There are also special lab tests that can more accurately measure how pure a sample of cocaine is.

History

Main article: History of cocaine

For thousands of years, people in South America used coca leaves to help them stay awake and for healing. When the Spanish arrived, they first stopped the use of coca but later allowed it because it was important for local work.

In 1855, a scientist named Friedrich Gaedcke discovered the main ingredient in coca leaves and named it "cocaine." Soon after, Albert Niemann refined it. In the late 1800s, cocaine was used in medicines and drinks before doctors found safer options because of its harmful effects.

Before World War II, large amounts of coca were grown in places like Taiwan and Java. Since the 1980s, groups known as drug cartels controlled the trade of cocaine, but by the early 2000s, the trade became more spread out across the world.

Society and culture

Cocaine comes from coca plants grown in Latin America. Different places have different rules about cocaine. In some places, like Peru, coca plants are used to make cocaine without following the rules. Governments try to stop this.

Some sports rules say athletes cannot use cocaine.

Cocaine is sometimes called by other names, like "blow" or "coke." Another form of cocaine is called "crack."

The making, selling, and moving of cocaine is against the law in many countries. Some places, like Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru, allow people to grow coca plants for traditional uses, but they cannot make or sell cocaine from them.

In Australia, cocaine is a controlled drug. In the United States, there have been laws to control cocaine since 1906.

Cocaine growing can hurt the environment. Forests are cut down to grow coca plants, and harmful chemicals are used. This can damage the land.

The effort to stop coca growing can also cause problems. In some places, chemicals are sprayed to kill the plants, but this can make people and animals sick. Sometimes the wrong fields are sprayed.

The word cocaine comes from French, which got it from Spanish, and finally from an ancient South American language called Quechua.

Research

Cocaine can be changed into special forms that help the body make antibodies against it. These antibodies can catch cocaine in the blood and stop it from affecting the brain.

Scientists have studied an enzyme called cocaine esterase as a possible way to treat addiction to cocaine. They have also looked at using coca tea, made from coca leaves, as a supportive treatment. Research in Lima, Peru, showed that combining coca tea with counseling helped people stay away from cocaine for longer periods.

Studies in animals have shown that using nicotine or alcohol can make it more likely that they will later use cocaine. These findings match what we see in humans, where using nicotine or alcohol can increase the risk of using cocaine and other substances.

Cocaine vaccines

Calixcoca

Main article: Calixcoca

Calixcoca is an experimental vaccine being developed since 2015 to help treat addiction to cocaine and crack cocaine. It is being created by the Federal University of Minas Gerais in Brazil.

TA-CD

Main article: TA-CD

TA-CD is another vaccine made to stop the effects of cocaine. It was developed by the Xenova Group and works by combining a substance called norcocaine with an inactivated cholera toxin.