Chemical Structure of Cocaine
Molecular FormulaC17H21NO4
Usage of CocaineCocaine could be used by anyone who wants take advantage of the outcome it produces, which means people of all ages. Cocaine is a stimulant that awakens the mind. People could use it for multiple reasons such as, trying to stay awake, being more alert, increased awareness, and hyperactivity, or they have become addicted.
Characteristics of Cocaine / ProductionCocaine is a central Nervous System Stimulant which increases the nuerotransmitter to give someone a high. As portrayed by society in the 1970's, the positive effects of cocaine involved helping a person stay up and alert. In 1885 the popular soda brand Coca-Cola's most well known ingredient was cocaine which gave people that sense of hyperactivity and boost of energy when they consumed it. Although cocaine is a natural drug that comes from coca plants, the crack cocaine that most people have their hands on is produced in a deadly manner by chemicals that should not be consumed by the human body. Crack is a product that comes from cocaine by creating rock crystals. In order to create these crystals the coca leaves are first soaked in gasoline. After that battery acid is added to the liquid so that the base can be freely extracted. Next powdered caustic soda is added to it so that the cocaine can precipitate and form a paste. Then the paste is refined into crystals. The main ingredients in crack cocaine are powdered cocaine and baking soda which allow the crystals to be formed, and then used.
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Significance and History of CocaineCocaine was first founded in the mountain regions of South America. It derives from the coca plant and was first used by the Incas in order to increase breathing and oxygen intake to counter effect the conditions of living high up in the mountain. Albert Niemann, a german chemist, was officially the first person to discover Cocaine in 1859 by extracting the drug from the coca pant. However the drug was not signified until the 1880's.
Effects of Cocaine on the Body and EnvironmentCocaine has many negative effects on the body such as constricting blood vessels and dilating pupils, increasing body temperature and heart rate. Since it is an appetite suppressant many people that are abusing the drug do not get the nutrients they need to stay healthy or are using it to lose weight. Depending on the way that the drug is administered into the body, it can cause more health problems that way. For example when a person takes the drug using a needle they could be at risk for HIV or other blood borne diseases from sharing needles. When a person snorts cocaine it could lead to internal problems in their nostrils, such as bleeding, and loss of sense of smell and rarely it can cause nasal septal perforation due to local ischemia. The drug is very addicting and can cause a strain on the body if the user suddenly stops taking the drug, it is also really simple to form a high tolerance to cocaine. Users can also become delusional and can hallucinate, and because of how addicting the high of cocaine is, the consumer who is addicted spends most of their money trying to get a hold of the drug. Cocaine also has a variety of effects on our environment which include the cultivation practices used to create the product. The production of cocaine has lead to the deforestation multiple rain forests including Columbia's rain forest, which has lost 3 million acres of land to cocaine as reported in 2002. The harmful effects also include Soil is lost through violet erosion, extinction of genetic resources, increased flooding, and a reduction in hydrobiological potential. The burning of the debris also leads to air pollution and loss of soil nutrients. The production of cocaine also releases more than 370,000 tons of toxic chemicals into our atmosphere.
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3."Cocaine Addiction and Abuse. Cocaine Information. Patient | Patient." Patient. EMIS Group, n.d. Web. 30 Aug. 2015.
4. "Cocaine and Crack Cocaine." News. New York Times, 23 Sept. 2015. Web. 27 Sept. 2015.
5."DrugFacts: Cocaine." DrugFacts: Cocaine. National Institute on Drug Abuse, Apr. 2013. Web. 30 Aug. 2015.
6."History of Cocaine." Cocaine History. Narconon International, 2010-2015. Web. 01 Sept. 2015.
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8.M. DOUROJEANNI. "United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime." UNODC. United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime, 2015. Web. 30 Aug. 2015.
9. O'connor, Patrick G. "Cocaine - Special Subjects." Merck Manuals Professional Edition. Special Subjects, July 2008. Web. 07 Dec. 2015.
10."The History of Cocaine." The History of Cocaine - Where Does Cocaine Come From? - Drug-Free World. Foundation for Drug-Free World, 2014. Web. 30 Aug. 2015.