Cocaine is derived from coca plant leaves and was originally used by native South Americans to enhance performance and cope with thin air. It was later extracted into a white powder and marketed in the late 1800s for medical uses like treating depression. Cocaine was a primary ingredient in Coca-Cola until 1914 when it was regulated and banned. Today, cocaine is a white powder that is snorted, smoked, or injected and is highly addictive with side effects like insomnia, anxiety, and nose bleeds. It remains one of the most commonly used illicit drugs in America.