Cocaine is derived from coca plant leaves and was originally used by native South Americans to enhance performance and cope with high altitudes. It was later extracted into a white powder and marketed in the late 1800s for medical uses like treating depression. However, cocaine became regulated and banned in the early 1900s due to health risks. Today, cocaine is a widely used illicit stimulant that can be snorted, smoked, or injected and has short-term effects like increased energy but long-term health risks such as heart problems and addiction.