Cocaine is a highly addictive stimulant derived from the coca plant. It was first used medically in the 1880s but banned in the 1920s due to health risks. Cocaine can enter the body through sniffing, smoking, or injection, stimulating brain receptors and creating euphoria but also increasing tolerance over time. Short and long-term effects of cocaine include increased heart rate and blood pressure, strokes, seizures, and damage to blood vessels in the heart, brain, and intestines. Getting caught with excessive amounts of cocaine can result in long prison sentences and large fines. Cocaine is classified as a Schedule II drug and is illegal for recreational use in the United States due to its highly addictive nature and

1. Cocaine
By: Dakota Alessandrini

2. History of Cocaine
Known as blow, flake, coke, dust, and/or snow
Incas were the first known to chew “coca” leaves
Cocaine first extracted from leaves in 1859 by Albert Niemann
Started to become used medically in 1880’s
Banned in the 1920’s
5,000 deaths in one year that were cocaine related
2008

3. How is cocaine administered in the body?
Can enter body through sniffing, smoking, and/or injection
Stimulate brain receptors
Creates a sense of euphoria
Causes one to develop a tolerance
In order to continue feeling euphoria:
Consuming a higher dosage than the time before
More frequent intervals
Addiction is inevitable

4. What is in cocaine?
Leaves from a coca plant are main ingredient
In addition:
Dangerous additives used
Levamisole- parasitic killer in livestock
Benzocaine, Lidocaine, Procaine- anesthetics
Hydroxyzine-veterinary medicine tranquilizer
Diltiazem- used for heart condition treatment

5. How is cocaine classified?
Drugs are classified into five groups or “Schedules”
Schedule I- not known to be medically used but have potential for being
abused
Schedule II- higher potential for abuse/ becoming psychologically/physically
dependant
Schedule III, IV, and V- low potential for abuse and dependencies
Cocaine- Schedule II drug classification
Illegal stimulant in the United States if recreationally used

6. Complications
Psychologically
Causes one to feel anxious, paranoid, angry, hostile
Out of control of user
Socially
b/c of intense emotional responses, relationships strained
One cannot control emotions well:
Lash out at loved ones

7. Short-term & Long-term effects
Cardiovascular System
Increased blood pressure/heart
rate
Permanent damage to blood
vessels of heart and increased
risk for heart attacks
Nervous System
Hyperstimulation and convulsions
Strokes, seizures, permanent
damage to brain blood vessels
● Respiratory System
○ Increased breathing rate
○ Destruction of nasal tissue (sniffing)
○ Respiratory failure (if smoked)
● Digestive System
○ Blood vessels of intestines constrict b/c
of damage due to cocaine
○ Causes Gangrene
■ Sections of intestines die because
of blood supply loss
○ Can be fatal if not handled properly

8. Legal Complications, Medical Use, and Mixtures
If found in possession of >500 grams
of cocaine
Imprisonment for 5-40 years
Fines of up to millions of dollars based on
circumstances
If found in possession of 5 kg of
cocaine
Minimum of 10 years of prison, maximum
of life sentence
Millions of dollars of fine based on
● Medical Uses
○ 1880- used to treat morphine addictions
○ Today- stop nosebleeds, manage pain
before nose surgery, anesthesia by oral
surgeons/dentists
● Mixtures
○ Cocaine and other drugs
■ Marijuana, heroin, etc= fatal
○ Cocaine and alcohol
■ Heart conditions such as arrhythmia
■ Build up of fatal chemical-
cocaethylene

9. What To Understand
Cocaine can and will ruin relationships
Causes violent, uncontrollable emotional responses
May emotionally/physically injure a loved one
Gives one an all-consuming addiction
Detrimental to one’s physical, psychological, and social health
Damages one from the inside out and vice versa
Just say NO!

10. Works Cited
http://drugabuse.com/dangerous-additives-whats-really-in-your-cocaine/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk/8040690.stm
https://www.drugs.com/illicit/cocaine.html
http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/exchange/serendipupdate/cocaine-and-nervous-system
http://www.narconon.org/drug-abuse/cocaine/intestinal-problems.html
http://www.thegooddrugsguide.com/cocaine/legality.htm
http://www.narconon.org/drug-information/cocaine-circa-1860-1900.html
http://www.acmt.net/Cocaine.html
http://luxury.rehabs.com/cocaine-addiction/mixing-cocaine/
http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/cocaine/why-is-cocaine-so-highly-
addictive.html#deadlycombinationofdrugs

11. Check for Understanding Quiz
What are two slang terms for cocaine?
Weed & lolly
Crack & Blow
Jitter & Zoom
What classification is cocaine?
Schedule I
Schedule II
Schedule IV
What is one way euphoria can be felt after the
● What is one long-term cardiovascular effect of
cocaine?
○ Increased risk for heart attacks
○ Stroke
○ Hyperventilation
● It is safe to mix cocaine with other drugs/alcohol.
○ True
○ False
● What is one effect of one being caught with
excessive amounts of cocaine?
○ Life imprisonment
○ Death penalty
○ Community service

12. Check for Understanding Cont.
There are no medical uses for
cocaine.
True
False
What kind of complications can
result from taking cocaine?
Psychological dependence
Compromised relationships
Paranoia
● Who first used cocaine?
○ Albert Niemann
○ Aztecs
○ Incas